Regassa et al. BMC Genomics 2011, 12:57 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/12/57 Page 12 of 20 Figure 15 qRT-PCR validation of the array data showing some selected transcripts that are differentially expressed between GV stage oocytes and CCs. Two bars representing the same gene and marked with star (*) between them are significantly different (P < 0.05). OOIM = immature (GV) stage oocytes and CCIM = immature (GV) stage CCs. Trans-membrane proteins are involved in oocyte- granulosa cell regulatory loop and Rho proteins play a role in GTP-bound active state and can interact with a number of effectors to transduce signals leading to diverse biological responses including actin cytoskeletal Figure 17 qRT-PCR validation of the array data showing some selected transcripts that are over expressed in oocytes cultured with their companion CCs compared with those cultured alone. Two bars representing the same gene and marked with star (*) between them are significantly different (P < 0.05). OO + CC = oocytes cultured with CCs and OO - CC = oocytes cultured without CCs. rearrangements, regulation of gene transcriptions, cell cycle regulation, control of apoptosis and membrane trafficking [64,65]. Phosphorylation and dephosphoryla- tion of proteins are also crucial and control nearly every cellular activities, including metabolism, transcription and translation, cell-cycle progression, cytoskeletal Figure 16 qRT-PCR validation of the array data showing some selected transcripts that are differentially expressed between MII oocytes and CCs. Two bars representing the same gene and marked with star (*) between them are significantly different (P < 0.05). OOMII = metaphase II oocytes and CCMII = metaphase II CCs. Figure 18 qRT-PCR validation of the array data showing some selected transcripts that are over expressed in CCs cultured with their enclosed oocytes compared with those cultured alone. Two bars representing the same gene and marked with star (*) between them are significantly different (P < 0.05). CC + OO = CCs cultured with their enclosed oocyte and CC - OO: CCs cultured without oocyte.