Fig. 6

GH improved the quality of aged oocytes through MAPK3/1 pathway. A Representative images of p- MAPK3/1 expression in young, aged, and GH + aged oocytes (in vivo). Scale bar, 20 μm. B p- MAPK3/1 fluorescence intensity in young (n = 19), aged (n = 19), and GH + aged (n = 21) oocytes. C Representative images of p- MAPK3/1 expression in young, aged, and GH + aged oocytes (in vitro). Scale bar, 20 μm. D p- MAPK3/1 fluorescence intensity in young (n = 18) and, aged (n = 15), and GH + aged (n = 18) oocytes. E Development rate (2-, 4-, and 8-cell embryo, morula and blastocyst stages) of young (n = 31), aged (n = 28) and GH + aged (n = 33) in vitro-matured oocytes. F PBE ratio in the presence of 2 and 4 μM MAPK3/1 inhibitor (U0126). G Abnormal MII rate in the presence of 2 and 4 μM U0126. H Representative images of p- MAPK3/1 expression in aged, U0126 (2 μM), U0126 (2 μM) + GH, U0126 (4 μM) and U0126 (4 μM) + GH oocytes. Scale bar, 20 μm. I p- MAPK3/1 fluorescence intensity in aged (n = 15), U0126 (2 μM) (n = 15), U0126 (2 μM) + GH (n = 15), U0126 (4 μM) (n = 15) and U0126 (4 μM) + GH (n = 15) oocytes. J Representative images of spindle morphology and chromosome alignment in aged, GH, and GH + U0126 oocytes. Scale bar, 20 μm. K and L Aberrant spindle and misaligned chromosome rates in aged (n = 18), GH (n = 17), and GH + U0126 (n = 20) oocytes. Aged, oocytes from aged mice administered PBS; GH, oocytes from aged mice administered GH; GH + U0126, oocytes from aged mice administered U0126 and treated with GH. Data are means ± SEM of at least three independent experiments. *P < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001, ****p < 0.0001