The gap junction proteins connexin37 and connexin43 are required for ovarian folliculogenesis in the mouse. To define their respective roles in oogenesis, chimeric ovaries containing either null mutant oocytes and wild-type granulosa cells or the reverse combination were grafted to the renal capsules of immunodeficient female mice. After three weeks, the oocytes were tested for meiotic competen...

In humans and canines, the morphology of granulosa cell tumors is extremely variable and causes diagnostic difficulties. In human pathology, immunohistochemistry has been widely used for the diagnosis of granulosa cell tumors, whereas, limited studies are present in canine species. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of cytokeratins, vimentin, and inhibin-alpha in canine nor...

Granulosa cell death is an early feature of atresia; however, there are many apparent contradictions in the literature concerning the mode of granulosa cell death. We have therefore examined this process in bovine healthy and atretic antral follicles, using a variety of established techniques. Light and electron microscopic observations indicated the presence of pyknotic or shrunken nuclei in b...

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in follicular development and survival. Granulosa cell death is associated with increased ROS, but the mechanism of granulosa cell death induced by ROS is not clear. In order to define the molecular link between ROS and granulosa cell death, COV434, human granulosa tumor cells, were treated with H2O2. Compared to control cells, H2O2 induced gra...

OBJECTIVE Adrenomedullin (AM) has diverse functions and is expressed in a variety of tissues. This study was conducted to investigate the expression of AM in the human ovary and its effect on progesterone production by human granulosa lutein cells. DESIGN AND METHODS Follicular fluid and blood samples were obtained at the time of oocyte retrieval from patients undergoing in vitro-fertilizatio...

Ovarian granulosa cells are coupled via gap junctions containing connexin43 (Cx43 or alpha-1 connexin). In the absence of Cx43, granulosa cells stop growing in an early preantral stage. However, the fact that granulosa cells of mature follicles express multiple connexins complicated interpretation of this finding. The present experiments were designed to clarify the role of Cx43 vs. these other...

The cross-talk between oocyte and somatic cells plays a crucial role in the regulation of follicular development and oocyte maturation. As a result, granulosa cell apoptosis causes follicular atresia. In this study, sheep granulosa cells were cultured under thermal stress to induce apoptosis, and melatonin (MT) was examined to evaluate its potential effects on heat-induced granulosa cell injury...

Ovarian hormones (i.e., estrogen and LH) may promote folliculogenesis by regulating the local production of mesenchymal "inducer proteins" that mediate theca cell-granulosa cell interactions. Theca cells produce hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) that can stimulate granulosa cell growth. In order to investigate the physiological role of HGF in the ovarian follicle, the developmental and hormonal re...

The granulosa cells are believed to originate from ovarian surface epithelial mesothelium or possibly from the rete ovarii.[77] The cohort of granulosa cells that surrounds each oocyte has an oligoclonal origin, with three to five parent cells giving rise to the full complement of granulosa cells in a mature follicle.[78] Granulosa cells receive no direct blood supply, and because a basal lamin...

The developing ovarian follicle is one of the most rapidly proliferating normal tissues in vivo. Mesenchymal-epithelial cell interactions between theca cells and granulosa cells are essential for this follicular expansion. Ovarian hormones (i.e. estrogen and LH) may promote follicular development by regulating the local production of mesenchymal inducer proteins that mediate theca cell-granulos...