Connexin43 (Cx43, encoded by Gja1) is required for ovarian follicle development in the mouse. It is strongly expressed in granulosa cells, in which it forms intercellular gap junction channels that couple the cells metabolically. However, recent evidence indicates that undocked gap junction hemichannels can also have physiological roles such as mediating the release of small messenger molecules...

It has been generally accepted for more than half a century that, in most mammalian species, oocytes cannot renew themselves in postnatal or adult life, and that the number of oocytes is already fixed in fetal or neonatal ovaries. This assumption, however, has been challenged over the past decade. In this study, we have taken an endogenous genetic approach to this question and generated a multi...

In female pigs, undernutrition may influence growth of antral follicles from various size classes, decrease ovulation rate, delay puberty and return to oestrus after weaning. It could also affect the oocyte maturation and hence the number of viable embryos per litter. Inhibition of the gonadotrophin release due to undernutrition is presumably involved in these phenomena. Presence of receptors, ...

The mammalian oocyte undertakes a highly complex journey to maturity during which it successively acquires a series of characteristics necessary for fertilization and the development of a healthy embryo. While the contribution of granulosa cells to oocyte development has been studied for many years, it has recently become apparent that the oocyte itself plays a key role in directing its own fat...

Three different stages of pig antral follicles have been studied in a granulosa-cell transcriptome analysis on nylon microarrays (1152 clones). The data have been generated from seven RNA follicle pools and several technical replicates were made. The objective of this paper was to state the feasibility of a transcriptomic protocol for the study of folliculogenesis in the pig. A statistical anal...

This study has been undertaken to investigate the effect of Ehretia microphylla L._ on folliculogenesis, relative ovary and uterus weight and the number of ovarian surface follicles in female Wistar albino rats. The study consisted of 24 female wistar rats that were divided into four groups. Group-I 0.5 ml distilled water, Group II, III and IV were orally administered with powdered form of E. m...

The extracellular matrix (ECM) promotes and/or inhibits many cellular processes, including but not limited to proliferation, differentiation, and survival, which must occur for follicle growth and oocyte maturation. The ECM regulation of cellular processes in ovarian cells is being investigated in many animal models, including avian, rat, bovine, porcine, rabbit, sheep, human, and mouse. Granul...

Lhx8 (LIM homeobox 8) gene encodes a LIM homeodomain transcriptional regulator that is preferentially expressed in germ cells and critical for mammalian folliculogenesis. However, Lhx8 DNA binding sequences are not characterized yet. We aimed to identify and characterize a cis-acting sequence of germ-cell specific transcriptional factor, Lhx8. To identify Lhx8 DNA binding element, Cyclic Amplif...