Intra-ovarian regulation of follicular maturation is modulated by various factors. Among these, growth factors are important local actors. We examined the immunohistochemical localization of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in 18 human ovaries. The concentration of TGF-alpha and EGF in follicular fluid was m...

1373 6. Breitfeld D, Ohl L, Kremmer E, et al. Follicular B helper T cells express CXC chemokine receptor 5, localize to B cell follicles, and support immunoglobulin production. cells: B helper activity is focused in a germinal center-localized subset of CXCR5+ T cells. chemokine receptor 5 expression defines follicular homing T cells with B cell helper function. Avery DT et al. Cytokine-mediate...

PURPOSE To investigate conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in mouse conjunctiva. METHOD We examined normal mice, ranging in age from 4 to 6 weeks, to investigate the presence of follicular tissue histologically. Next, we treated mice by topical instillation of ovalbumin and cholera toxin B, and then examined conjunctival follicles by immunohistological methods. RESULTS Follicular ...

In this study we analyzed several aspects of protein secretion by thyroid follicular cells. The study was carried out on intact thyroid lobes obtained from newborn rats and incubated in vitro. The fate of leucine-(3)H incorporated into protein within follicular cells of untreated and thyrotropic hormone (TSH)-treated lobes was traced by quantitative electron microscope radioautography. Our find...

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) synthesized in the hypothalamus has the capability of inducing the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) from the anterior pituitary, which in turn stimulates the production of thyroid hormones in the thyroid gland. Immunoreactivity for TRH and TRH-like peptides has been found in some tissues outside the nervous system, including thyroid. It has been d...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the defense cells changes of cervical mucous during follicular and luteal phases of estrus cycle in river buffalo. Reproductive organs of the adult and apparently healthy female buffaloes were collected from the slaughterhouse. By visual investigation of both the ovaries for presence of corpus luteum and growing follicles, the luteal and follicular phase of...

BACKGROUND Oocyte maturation is under strict regulatory control, not only from intrinsic cellular processes, but also extrinsic influences. While the oocyte is directly connected to the surrounding cumulus cells (CCs) via a network of gap junctions facilitating communication and exchange of molecules, it is also influenced by the greater follicular environment. In order to produce an oocyte cap...

After oral exposure, the early replication of certain prion strains upon stromal cell-derived follicular dendritic cells (FDC) in the Peyer's patches in the small intestine is essential for the efficient spread of disease to the brain. However, little is known of how prions are initially conveyed from the gut lumen to establish infection on FDC. Our previous data suggest that mononuclear phagoc...