Involvement of the cGMP-dependent signalling pathway is specific for NO-induced oocyte activation, because both the guanylyl cyclase inhibitor ODQ and the PKG inhibitor DT3 are unable to inhibit activation in oocytes treated with the calcium ionophore A23187. These data indicate that the activation of pig oocytes with an NO donor is cGMP-dependent and that PKG plays an important role in this mode of oocyte activation.