Fig. 9. Effect of BMP-7 and its antagonist gremlin on cumulus cell apoptosis. OOXs were cultured with 10% v/v BMP-15 in the presence of increasing doses of gremlin (0-40 µg/ml) (A). OOX were also co-cultured with 100 ng/ml BMP-7 and/or 10% BMP-15 in the presence or absence of 2 µg/ml gremlin (B). Gremlin did not antagonize the suppressive effect of BMP-15 on cumulus cell apoptosis, whereas it did that of BMP-7. Bars and points represent average percentage of apoptotic cumulus cells (mean ±s.e.m.). Values from bars with different labels; ^a,b,cdiffer significantly (P<0.001).