To reveal the mechanisms regulating the selective atresia of follicles in porcine ovaries, we examined the changes in the mRNA and protein levels of cell-death ligand, Fas/APO-1/CD95 ligand (FasL), and its receptor, Fas/APO-1/CD95 (Fas), and the localization of the proteins in granulosa cells during follicular atresia using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western b...

The reason ovarian function and fertility are diminished in women with a low antral follicle count (AFC), despite significant numbers of follicles remaining in ovaries, is unknown. The bovine model is unique to address this question because cattle and women with a low AFC exhibit similar phenotypic characteristics including a diminished ovarian reserve, reduced circulating concentrations of ant...

IGFs regulate gonadotrophin-stimulated proliferation and differentiation of granulosa and theca cells in vitro. However, the detailed pattern of mRNA expression of IGFs in bovine follicles remains controversial. The objectives of this study were therefore to describe the temporal and spatial pattern of expression of mRNA encoding IGF-I, IGF-II and the type 1 IGF receptor in bovine follicles in ...

Background: The key enzyme of estrogen biosynthesis, aromatase cytochrome P450,is encoded by the CYP19 gene.CYP19 plays an important role in the development,function,an regulation of the female reproduction cycle. Thus, it is the potential candidate gene affecting fertility performance in human. CYP19 transcripts are expressed mainly in the ovary,testes,breast,adipose tissue and brain. Tissue e...

BACKGROUND Peroxisome proliferative-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear receptors that involved in cellular lipid metabolism and differentiation. The subtype γ of the PPAR family (PPARγ) plays important roles in physiologic functions of ovaries. OBJECTIVE To determine correlation between PPARγ protein level in granulosa cells and pregnancy rate in women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (...

We investigated the production of oxytocin (OT) and oxytocin-neurophysin (bNpI) by bovine granulosa cells cultured in presence of 10% foetal calf serum, a condition known to induce spontaneous luteinization of these cells. The production of immunoreactive OT was significantly higher in the cultures of granulosa cells harvested from large follicles than in those derived from small follicles. Chr...

The oocyte-secreted polypeptide growth factors, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15, also known as GDF9B) have both been shown to be essential for ovarian follicular growth and function. The effects of murine (m) and ovine (o) GDF9 as well as oBMP15, alone or together, on 3H-thymidine uptake and progesterone and inhibin production by granulosa cells f...

The present study was designed to assess the relationship between gap junctions and the maturation of a clock system in rat granulosa cells stimulated by follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Immature and mature granulosa cells were prepared by puncturing the ovaries of diethylstilbestrol- and equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG)-treated mouse Period2 (Per2)-dLuc reporter gene transgenic rats, res...

The fetal gonad is composed of a mixture of somatic cell lineages and germ cells. The fate of the gonad, male or female, is determined by a population of somatic cells that differentiate into Sertoli or granulosa cells and direct testis or ovary development. It is well established that germ cells are not required for the establishment or maintenance of Sertoli cells or testis cords in the male ...

After ovulation of an oocyte, granulosa cells of the ovarian follicle differentiate into luteal cells and become a major factor dedicated to the synthesis of the steroid hormone progesterone. We recently established granulosa cell lines by cotransfection of granulosa cells with SV-40 and Ha-ras oncogene. In these cells progesterone secretion can be induced by cAMP as in normal rat granulosa cel...