Thomas Nolte

Fertilization offsets the maternal age effect on mouse oocytes provided the oviduct is not itself aged

This study shows that fertilization can reverse the negative effects of maternal age on oocyte quality in mice, provided the fertilization environment is not aged.

A novel and critical role of the intracellular Zona Pellucida protein 2 (ZP2) for blastocyst formation in mice

This study shows that ZP2, a zona pellucida protein, is re-synthesized and functionally required in mouse embryos, playing an active role in blastocyst formation and cell lineage development.

First cleavage is a manifestation of the geometry of the unfertilized oocyte: implications for monozygotic twinning in mice.

The paper shows that the orientation of the first cleavage in mouse oocytes follows the shorter diameter of the unfertilized oocyte, leading to segregation of animal and vegetal hemispheres and explaining differences in monozygotic twins.

Intracellular fraction of zona pellucida protein 3 is required for the oocyte to embryo transition in mice

This study identifies a novel intracellular function of zona pellucida proteins in mice, showing they are critical for embryonic cell survival during the oocyte-to-embryo transition.