The expression of mRNA for the activin type II receptors (ActRII and ActRIIB), follistatin, and the inhibin/activin subunits was investigated in the follicles of broiler breeder hens. Total RNA was isolated from individual granulosa and theca layers of the F1 through F5 follicles, a pool of the F6 and F7 follicles, the small yellow follicles, and from the combined granulosa and theca layers of ...

Data derived principally from peripheral tissues (fat, muscle and liver) show that insulin signals via diverse interconnecting intracellular pathways and that some of the major intersecting points (known as critical nodes) are the IRSs (insulin receptor substrates), PI3K (phosphoinositide kinase)/Akt and MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase). Most of these insulin pathways are probably also a...

Studies were conducted to evaluate the regulation of steroid production in dispersed cells from ovarian stromal tissue from 5- to 8-week-old-pullets (IM cells) and laying hens (MAT cells). Short-term incubation of IM and MAT cells with ovine (o) LH resulted in a dose-dependent increase in progesterone, androstenedione and oestradiol production; progesterone production was greater in MAT cells t...

It has been established that two developmentally and functionally distinct cell types emerge within the mammalian testis and adrenal gland throughout life. Fetal and adult types of steroidogenic cells (i.e., testicular Leydig cells and adrenocortical cells) develop in the prenatal and postnatal period, respectively. Although the ovary synthesizes steroids postnatally, the presence of fetal-type...

BACKGROUND Cystic ovarian disease is an important cause of infertility that affects bovine, ovine, caprine and porcine species and even human beings. Alterations in the ovarian micro-environment of females with follicular cysts could alter the normal processes of proliferation and programmed cell death in ovarian cells. Thus, our objective was to evaluate apoptosis and proliferation in ovarian ...

The purpose of this investigation was to localize and characterize white blood cell populations in the human ovary through its physiological life cycle. Ovaries from 30 women of reproductive age and from three post-menopausal women were embedded in paraffin or frozen. Clinical information and pathology review were used to obtain accurate menstrual cycle information and to ensure the absence of ...

Oestrogens are pivotal in ovarian follicular growth, development and function, with fundamental roles in steroidogenesis, nurturing the oocyte and ovulation. Infections with bacteria such as Escherichia coli cause infertility in mammals at least in part by perturbing ovarian follicle function, characterised by suppression of oestradiol production. Ovarian follicle granulosa cells produce oestra...

The embryonic gonad is undifferentiated in males and females until a critical stage when the sex chromosomes dictate its development as a testis or ovary. This binary developmental process provides a unique opportunity to delineate the molecular pathways that lead to distinctly different tissues. The testis comprises three main cell types: Sertoli cells, Leydig cells, and germ cells. The Sertol...