1. A few studies have shown that nitric oxide may exert cytotoxic and/or steroidogenic effects on cultured ovarian cells but the source of this factor within the ovary remains equivocal. 2. In this study we have investigated the effects of nitric oxide on progesterone secretion, cell viability and cell morphology of cultured rat granulosa/lutein cells and examined whether granulosa cells are an...

STUDY QUESTION Do the adipocytokines, leptin and adiponectin affect the granulosa cell expression of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and its receptor (AMHR-II)? SUMMARY ANSWER Leptin suppresses AMH mRNA levels in human luteinized granulosa cells through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, while adiponectin has no such effect. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY AMH is one of the most reliable markers of ovarian reserve...

Prohibitin is an evolutionary conserved protein that is associated with cellular differentiation, atresia, and luteolysis in the rat ovary. However, the specific cellular location and function of prohibitin in ovarian cells has not been clearly elucidated. To characterize the expression of prohibitin during cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death, we have successfully established a ...

Calcitonin (CALCA), a hormone primarily known for its role in calcium homeostasis, has recently been linked to reproduction, specifically as a marker for embryo implantation in the uterus. Although CALCA expression has been documented in several tissues, there has been no report of production of CALCA in the ovary of any vertebrate species. We hypothesized that the Calca gene is expressed in th...

The majority of ovarian follicles undergo atresia mediated by apoptosis. Bcl-2-related proteins act as regulators of apoptosis via the formation of dimers with proteins inside and outside the Bcl-2 family. Previous studies have identified BAD as a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member expressed in the ovary. It is known that BAD phosphorylation induced by survival factors leads to its preferential b...

An important but poorly understood process in ovarian biology is the transition of the developmentally arrested primordial follicle to the developing primary follicle. Interactions between the epithelial and mesenchymal cells of the follicle are critical for the coordination of ovarian follicle development. The mesenchymal growth factor keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) (i.e., fibroblast growth ...

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a severe complication of ovarian stimulation for assisted reproductive techniques. Clinical manifestations are massive extravascular fluid accumulation and haemoconcentration. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been demonstrated to mediate the development of OHSS. Intravenous albumin at the time of oocyte aspiration has been suggested as an...

Recent studies challenge the previous view that apoptosis within the granulosa cells of the maturing ovarian follicle is a reflection of aging and consequently a marker for poor quality of the contained oocyte. On the contrary, apoptosis within the granulosa cells is an integral part of normal development and has limited predictive capability regarding oocyte quality or the ensuing pregnancy ra...

the cyclical changes in the gonadotropins stimulate ovarian follicular development either to the ovulatory stage or to undergo atresia. one such intrafollicular factor may be inter-cellular communication via gap junctions. we have examined the effects of two agents (retinoids and alkanols), known to disrupt or uncouple gap junction, on fsh-stimulated lh receptor induction and progestrone synthe...

We studied functional and morphological luteinization of granulosa cells in intact preovulatory follicles and in cultured granulosa cells collected from the proestrous follicles of the rat. Steroid hormones were measured by radioimmunoassay in follicles dissected from the ovaries every 2 hrs on the day of proestrus beginning at 8 : 00 hrs and terminating at the time of ovulation. Granulosa cell...