Fig. 5. Expression of BMP receptor-II mRNA in cumulus cells and BMP receptor-II ectodomain (BMPR-II ECD) neutralisation of oocyte-stimulated cumulus cell DNA synthesis. (A) Mural granulosa cells and cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from antral follicles, cumulus cells were generated by denuding cumulus-oocyte complexes, RNA was extracted, reverse transcribed and subjected to real-time RT-PCR. There was no significant difference between cell types in the level of expression of BMPR-II mRNA. (B) Oocytectomised complexes (OOX) were generated by microsurgically removing the oocyte contents from cumulus-oocyte complexes. OOX were cultured for 24 hours either alone, together with 30 DOs/well, or with oocytes and 2 µg/ml of BMPR-II ECD. Columns are means ± s.e.m. from three replicate experiments. Columns with different superscript letters are significantly different (P<0.001).