Chick embryo extract (CEE) contains a variety of growth factors which may improve in vitro follicle growth. Therefore, the effect of CEE on mouse pre-antral follicle culture was evaluated. Different percentages of CEE (0, 0.50%, 1.00%, 5.00% and 10.00%) were added to culture medium. Hence, the osmolarity of media was measured. Pre-antral follicles with diameter of 120-150 μm were isola...

Studies suggest that the presence of endometriosis may lead to impaired ovarian reserve, while results evaluating changes in antral follicle count (AFC) remain controversial. A systematic search returned 15 studies, which nine compared AFC between patients with and without endometriosis, five articles reported differences affected unaffected ovaries unilateral one both above two situations. Ove...

Patients and Methods: 20 patients aged 18 to 40 years with idiopathic POF were included in a case series study. Measurement of serum concentrations of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), 17β-estradiol (E2) and Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) with calculation of Antral Follicles Count (AFC) and volume of ovaries was done before and after bee stings that were administered f...

Patients and Methods: 20 patients aged 18 to 40 years with idiopathic POF were included in a case series study. Measurement of serum concentrations of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), Luteinizing Hormone (LH), 17β-estradiol (E2) and Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) with calculation of Antral Follicles Count (AFC) and volume of ovaries was done before and after bee stings that were administered f...

The processes that precisely control the selection of ovulatory follicles from a growing cohort are poorly understood. This reduction in follicle number occurs through several phases of selection, consequently we limit the use of the term 'selection' to the first major reduction of growing follicles, at the pre- to early antral stage. The final process of selection, achieving the appropriate ov...

The transition from preantral to early antral stage is the penultimate stage of ovarian follicular development in terms of gonadotropin dependence and follicle destiny. Although oocyte-somatic cell communication is important in early follicular development, our knowledge of the precise role of the oocyte-derived growth differentiation factor (GDF)-9 during preantral follicle growth is incomplet...

The preantral-early antral follicle transition is the penultimate stage of follicular development in terms of gonadotropin dependence and follicle destiny (growth versus atresia). Follicular growth during this period is tightly regulated by oocyte-granulosa-theca cell interactions. Formation of the theca cell layer is a key event that occurs during this transitional stage. Granulosal factor(s) ...

Coordinated interactions between ovarian granulosa and theca cells are required for female endocrine function and fertility. To elucidate these interactions the regulation of the granulosa and theca cell transcriptomes during bovine antral follicle development were investigated. Granulosa cells and theca cells were isolated from small (<5 mm), medium (5-10 mm), and large (>10 mm) antral bovine ...

In the growing heifer calve, there is an early post-natal, gonadotrophin driven increase in ovarian antral follicle growth. The endocrine regulation of and reason for this initial stimulation of ovarian follicular development are not fully understood. This initial endocrine activity appears to be later held in check by negative feedback suppression mechanisms until the heifer is of a sufficient...