The growth and development of oocyte affect the functional activities of the surrounding somatic cells. These cells are regulated by various types of hormones, proteins, metabolites, and regulatory molecules through gap communication, ultimately leading to the development and maturation of oocytes. The close association between somatic cells and oocytes, which together form the cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), and their bi-directional communication are crucial for the acquisition of developmental competences by the oocyte. In this study, oocytes were extracted from the ovaries obtained from crossbred landrace gilts and subjected to in vitro maturation. RNA isolated from those oocytes was used for the subsequent microarray analysis. The data obtained shows, for the first time, variable levels of gene expression (fold changes higher than |2| and adjusted p-value < 0.05) belonging to four ontological groups: regulation of cell proliferation (GO:0042127), regulation of cell migration (GO:0030334), and regulation of programmed cell death (GO:0043067) that can be used together as proliferation, migration or apoptosis markers. We have identified several genes of porcine oocytes (ID2, VEGFA, BTG2, ESR1, CCND2, EDNRA, ANGPTL4, TGFBR3, GJA1, LAMA2, KIT, TPM1, VCP, GRID2, MEF2C, RPS3A, PLD1, BTG3, CD47, MITF), whose expression after in vitro maturation (IVM) is downregulated with different degrees. Our results may be helpful in further elucidating the molecular basis and functional significance of a number of gene markers associated with the processes of migration, proliferation and angiogenesis occurring in COCs.

Department of Anatomy Poznan University of Medical Sciences 60 781 Poznań Poland

Department of Histology and Embryology Poznan University of Medical Sciences 60 781 Poznań Poland

Department of Histology and Embryology Wroclaw University of Medical Sciences 50 368 Wrocław Poland

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital and Masaryk University 601 77 Brno Czech Republic

Division of Anatomy and Histology University of Zielona Gora 65 046 Zielona Góra Poland

Division of Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology Department of Gynecology Obstetrics and Gynecological Oncology Poznan University of Medical Sciences 60 535 Poznań Poland

Veterinary Center Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun 87 100 Toruń Poland

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