The mechanisms whereby the high variation in numbers of morphologically healthy oocytes and follicles in ovaries (ovarian reserve) may have an impact onovarian function, oocyte quality, and fertility are poorly understood. The objective was to determine whether previously validated biomarkers for follicular differentiation and function, as well as oocyte quality differed between cattle with low...

Disk fragment relocation is commonly limited to the anterior epidural space, although posterior epidural movement of a sequestrated disk piece to the posterior epidural space is infrequent. We present an uncommon case of dorsal extradural sequestration of lumbar disk herniation. A 77-year-old man presented with severe leg pain, low back pain, and urinary incontinence. Deep tendon reflexes were ...

Vol. 35, No. 6 (2003) BioTechniques 1141 the ABI PRISM® 7000 and the TaqMan Universal PCR Master Mix protocols (Applied Biosystems). After discovering that the RNA from the thecal cells had vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) amplification and that RNA from granulosa cells had no VEGF amplification, the 18S rRNA amplification (TaqMan Pre-Developed Assay Reagents; Applied Biosystems), whic...

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptors tyrosine kinase A (TrkA) and p75 in the ovaries of the wild ground squirrels during the breeding and nonbreeding seasons. In the breeding period, NGF, TrkA and p75 were immunolocalized in granulosa cells, thecal cells, interstitial cells and luteal cells whereas in the nonbreeding period, both o...

Urocortin is a member of the CRF neuropeptide family and has a 43% homology to CRF in amino acid sequence. Urocortin has been found to bind with high affinity to CRF receptors. CRF has been detected in the human ovary and has been demonstrated to suppress ovarian steroidogenesis in vitro. In this study we examined urocortin and CRF receptor expression in normal cycling human ovaries, using immu...

Stanniocalcin is a glycoprotein hormone important in the maintenance of calcium and phosphate homeostasis in fish. Two related mammalian stanniocalcin genes, STC1 and STC2, were found to be expressed in various tissues as paracrine regulators. We have demonstrated the existence of a second stanniocalcin gene in fish, designated fish STC2, with only 30% identity to fish STC1. However, phylogenet...

The source of steroid hormones, which potentially regulate gonadal restructuring throughout protogynous sex change in teleosts, remains largely unknown. To address this issue, immunocytochemical methods were employed to detect gonadal sites of steroidogenesis in the protogynous hermaphrodite wrasse Thalassoma duperrey at different stages in the sex change process. Steroidogenic cells were class...

Transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a minimally invasive modality used to treat patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy secondary to prolapsed intervertebral disc or spinal canal stenosis. In this case report, we describe the management of a patient with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy secondary to intervertebral disc herniation which was seen as a right paracentral disc prot...

During ovulation and luteinization in mammals a portion of the ovarian tissue undergoes extensive remodeling. The thecal framework of a mature follicle is degraded and disrupted as the ovum is released. Immediately following ovulation the fibroblasts rapidly undergo functional reorientation (a) to initiate healing at the point of rupture and (b) to meet the changing requirements for support of ...