Peer review process
Not revised: This Reviewed Preprint includes the authors’ original preprint (without revision), an eLife assessment, and public reviews.
Read more about eLife’s peer review process.Editors
- Reviewing EditorWei YanThe Lundquist Institute, Torrance, United States of America
- Senior EditorWei YanThe Lundquist Institute, Torrance, United States of America
Reviewer #1 (Public Review):
Granados-Aparici et al., investigate somatic-germline interactions in female mice. Mammalian oocytes are nurtured in multi-cellular ovarian follicles and communication with surrounding somatic cells is critical for oocyte development. This study focused on transzonal projections (TZP) extending from granulosa cells to the surface of oocytes and documented the importance of SMAD4, a TGF- β mediator, in regulating the TZPs. They propose a model in which individual TZPs contact the surface of the oocyte and stably attach if there is sufficient N-cadherin. In SMAD4-depleted cells, there is insufficient N-cadherin to stabilize the attachment. The TZP continues to elongate but eventually retracts. Their model is well supported by their experimental evidence and the manuscript is both well-formulated and written.
Reviewer #2 (Public Review):
Summary:
This study proposed a new mechanism by which the TGF-beta signaling pathway promotes contacts between oocytes and the surrounding somatic cells in mice, by regulating the numbers of transzonal projections (TZPs).
Strengths:
The conditional Smad4 knockout and three-dimensional observation of transzonal projections are solid and sufficiently support the major conclusions.
Weaknesses:
The physiological significance of SMAD4-dependent formation of transzonal projection networks is not assessed in this study.
