See Also: maturation-promoting factor(medicine)
polecat(dictionary)
polecat(dictionary)
polecat(medicine)
polecat(encyclopedia)
Promoting Prostitution(law)
Herbal medicine (botanical medicine, herbology, phytomedicine)(health)
leukocytosis-promoting factor(medicine)
M phase promoting factor(medicine)
maturation(dictionary)

maturation-promoting factor (medicine) and polecat (oh)


maturation-promoting factor (medicine)


maturation-promoting factor
<enzyme> A protein kinase that drives both the mitotic and meiotic cycles in all eukaryotic organisms.

In meiosis it induces immature oocytes to undergo meiotic maturation. In mitosis it has a role in the G2/M phase transition. Once activated by cyclins, maturation-promoting factor directly phosphorylates some of the proteins involved in nuclear envelope breakdown, chromosome condensation, spindle assembly, and the degradation of cyclins.

The catalytic subunit of maturation-promoting factor is protein p34cdc2.

Acronym: MPF


polecat (oh)



[Date: 1300-1400; Origin: Probably from Old French poul 'chicken' + English cat]
a small dark brown wild animal that lives in northern Europe and can defend itself by producing a bad smell
AmE informal a skunk