Glycogen synthase kinase-3B expression in the female embryonic mouse

Abstract

Background: Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is a multifunctional serine/threonine kinase that inhibits glycogen synthesis, neuronal cytoskeletal integrity, and inhibits cell cycle progression and progesterone mediated oocyte maturation. Several lines of evidence indicate it has specific roles during embryogenesis. GSK-3β knockout mice die in utero because of fulminant hepatic failure and its Drosophila homologue zw3 plays a role in cardiac development. Moreover GSK-3β in adult rodent seminiferous tubules is expressed in preleptotene spermatocytes at time of meiotic initiation and enhances thymidine incorporation in S Phase of meiosis I.