The protein encoded by this gene is a member of the TGF-β superfamily. It is a paracrine signaling molecule involved in oocyte and follicular development. Using Northern blot analysis, BMP15 has been shown to be exclusively expressed in the ovaries. It is thought that this protein may be involved in oocyte maturation and follicular development as a homodimer or by forming heterodimers with a related protein, Gdf9.[2]
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↑ 3.03.13.2Persani, L.; Rossetti, R.; Di Pasquale, E.; Cacciatore, C.; Fabre, S. (2014). "The fundamental role of bone morphogenetic protein 15 in ovarian function and its involvement in female fertility disorders". Human Reproduction Update. 20 (6): 869–883. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmu036. ISSN1355-4786. PMID24980253.
Aaltonen J, Laitinen MP, Vuojolainen K, et al. (1999). "Human growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) and its novel homolog GDF-9B are expressed in oocytes during early folliculogenesis". J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 84 (8): 2744–50. doi:10.1210/jc.84.8.2744. PMID10443672.
Galloway SM, McNatty KP, Cambridge LM, et al. (2000). "Mutations in an oocyte-derived growth factor gene (BMP15) cause increased ovulation rate and infertility in a dosage-sensitive manner". Nat. Genet. 25 (3): 279–83. doi:10.1038/77033. PMID10888873.
Otsuka F, Yao Z, Lee T, et al. (2001). "Bone morphogenetic protein-15. Identification of target cells and biological functions". J. Biol. Chem. 275 (50): 39523–8. doi:10.1074/jbc.M007428200. PMID10998422.
Otsuka F, Moore RK, Iemura S, et al. (2002). "Follistatin inhibits the function of the oocyte-derived factor BMP-15". Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 289 (5): 961–6. doi:10.1006/bbrc.2001.6103. PMID11741284.
Moore RK, Otsuka F, Shimasaki S (2003). "Molecular basis of bone morphogenetic protein-15 signaling in granulosa cells". J. Biol. Chem. 278 (1): 304–10. doi:10.1074/jbc.M207362200. PMID12419820.
Liao WX, Moore RK, Otsuka F, Shimasaki S (2003). "Effect of intracellular interactions on the processing and secretion of bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP-15) and growth and differentiation factor-9. Implication of the aberrant ovarian phenotype of BMP-15 mutant sheep". J. Biol. Chem. 278 (6): 3713–9. doi:10.1074/jbc.M210598200. PMID12446716.
Liao WX, Moore RK, Shimasaki S (2004). "Functional and molecular characterization of naturally occurring mutations in the oocyte-secreted factors bone morphogenetic protein-15 and growth and differentiation factor-9". J. Biol. Chem. 279 (17): 17391–6. doi:10.1074/jbc.M401050200. PMID14970198.
Dixit H, Rao LK, Padmalatha VV, et al. (2006). "Missense mutations in the BMP15 gene are associated with ovarian failure". Hum. Genet. 119 (4): 408–15. doi:10.1007/s00439-006-0150-0. PMID16508750.
Laissue P, Christin-Maitre S, Touraine P, et al. (2006). "Mutations and sequence variants in GDF9 and BMP15 in patients with premature ovarian failure". Eur. J. Endocrinol. 154 (5): 739–44. doi:10.1530/eje.1.02135. PMID16645022.
Chand AL, Ponnampalam AP, Harris SE, et al. (2006). "Mutational analysis of BMP15 and GDF9 as candidate genes for premature ovarian failure". Fertil. Steril. 86 (4): 1009–12. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2006.02.107. PMID17027369.