Granulosa cell tumors (GCTs) are the most common ovarian estrogen producing tumors, leading to symptoms of excessive estrogen such as endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial adenocarcinoma. These tumors have malignant potential and often recur. The etiology of GCT is unknown. TGFα is a potent mitogen for many different cells. However, its function in GCT initiation, progression and metastasis h...

Factors that control recruitment of theca cells from ovarian stromal-interstitial cells are important for early follicle development in the ovary. During recruitment, theca cells organize into distinct layers around early developing follicles and establish essential cell-cell interactions with granulosa cells. Recruitment of theca cells from ovarian stromal stem cells is proposed to involve cel...

Background: To study the morphological development and histomorphometry of foetal and adult ovaries in Kano brown goats. Materials and Methods: Fifty-one foetal and fourteen adult ovaries obtained from slaughtered Kano brown does in Nsukka abattoir were used for this study. The ages of the adult does were determined by dentition and foetuses by crown rump length method. The foetal and adult ova...

Angiotensin II (AngII) is best known for its role in blood pressure regulation, but it also has documented actions in the reproductive system. There are two AngII receptors, type 1 (AGTR1) and type 2 (AGTR2). AGTR2 mediates the noncardiovascular effects of AngII and is expressed in the granulosa cell layer in rodents and is associated with follicle atresia. In contrast, expression of AGTR2 is r...

The detection of galectin-1 (gal-1) in pig granulosa cell lysates by immunoblotting and its cytosolic as well as membrane-associated localization prompted us to study its effects on cell proliferation and regulation of progesterone synthesis. The lectin stimulated the proliferation of granulosa cells from pig ovaries cultured in serum-free medium. Gal-1 inhibited the FSH-stimulated progesterone...

Previous studies have implicated transcription factors GATA-4 and GATA-6 in the regulation of murine ovarian development and function. In rodents, GATA-4 is expressed in granulosa cells of primary and early antral follicles, whereas GATA-6 is expressed in granulosa cells of late antral follicles and luteal glands. Both transcription factors can be detected in lesser amounts in theca cells and i...

Current studies have revealed that aging is a negative factor that suppresses granulosa cell functions and causes low fertility in women. However, the difference in gene expression between normal and aging granulosa cells remains undefined. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the gene expression profiles of granulosa cells during aging. Granulosa cells from young healthy porcine...

The bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) has been implicated in follicle growth and steroidogenic functions of the ovary. The BMP-2 belongs to the BMPs subfamily of TGF-β super family. The present study was carried out in sheep granulosa cell culture to study the effect of different doses of BMP-2 0ng/ml (control group), 30ng/ml, 50ng/ml and 100ng/ml on granulosa cell steriodogenic function. Fo...

OBJECTIVE To extend our previous observations of granulosa cell conditioned medium inhibition on basal and FSH-stimulated progesterone secretion by granulosa cells from large porcine antral follicles. METHODS Granulosa cell conditioned media (SGCCM) were obtained from cultures of granulosa cells which were harvested from small porcine antral follicles. SGCCM were fractionated by filtration th...