Objective Aspirated ovarian follicular fluids (FF) contain luteal granulosa cells (LGC) and other contaminating cell types. Several strategies such as the antibody binding methods, the flask method, the cell strainer, and the positive selection of granulosa aggregates after density gradient centrifugation, were tested as LGCs purification methods. Each of these strategies has its own advantages...

Catecholamines present in the mammalian ovary are involved in many normal aspects of ovarian functions, including initial follicle growth, steroidogenesis, and pathological states such as polycystic ovary syndrome. Sympathetic nerve fibers are the largest source of norepinephrine (NE), but not the only one. Surgical denervation of the rat ovary reduces, but does not eliminate, the ovarian conte...

Oestrogens are pivotal in ovarian follicular growth, development and function, with fundamental roles in steroidogenesis, nurturing the oocyte and ovulation. Infections with bacteria such as Escherichia coli cause infertility in mammals at least in part by perturbing ovarian follicle function, characterised by suppression of oestradiol production. Ovarian follicle granulosa cells produce oestra...

The first aim of the research conducted as part of this thesis was to investigate the expression and activities of 11PHSD enzymes in porcine mural granulosa cells and COCs from small, medium and large antral follicles, as well as from ovarian cysts. Both cloned lipHSD enzymes (11 PHSD 1 and 11PHSD2) were expressed in porcine granulosa cells however the results of the expression studies in COCs ...

The aim of the present study was to understand the interrelationships between stress, hormones and basic ovarian functions in the ovary. For this purpose, we compared the expression of markers of proliferation (PCNA, cyclin B1), of apoptosis (Bax, caspase-3) and secretory activity (release of progesterone, P(4), and insulin-like growth factor, IGF-I) in whole ovarian follicles and granulosa cel...

The aim of this study was to determine the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total antioxidant status (TAS) and accumulation of Hsp70 in porcine ovarian granulosa cells after deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA) exposure in vitro. Porcine ovarian granulosa cells were incubated with DON/ZEA administrations as follows: group A (10/10 ng/mL), group B (100/...

FoxO1 is a transcription factor implicated in a growing number of physiological processes, including apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and insulin signaling. Recent findings indicate that FSH and growth factors influence ovarian functions in part through regulation of FoxO1. The present study utilized immunohistochemical analysis to determine the ovarian localization and regulation of FoxO1 pr...

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common complex genetic endocrinopathy, affecting 5 - 10% of women at reproductive age. PCO granulosa cells seem to have abnormal responses to follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is considered to be a pituitary glycoprotein that plays an important role during folliculogenesis as it promotes the proliferation and differentiation of granulosa ...

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...

1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3), an active form of Vitamin D, is photosynthesized in the skin of vertebrates in response to solar ultraviolet B radiation (UV-B). VD3 deficiency can cause health problems such as immune disease, metabolic disease, and bone disorders. It has also been demonstrated that VD3 is involved in reproductive functions. Female sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone ...