Abstract
There is now considerable literature on the importance of phosphatidylinositol cycle activation in transducing information of various types across the plasma membrane. Though much of the data derives from studies on somatic cells, there is increasing evidence for crucial events related to development, including fertilization, cell cycle progression and dorsoventral axis formation. In this review, focus is directed mainly to the molecular basis of the inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor expressed in oocytes and early embryos of Xenopus. Recent progress in studies concerning the role of this receptor in early embryonic development is discussed.