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In vitro culture of rat pre‐antral follicles with emphasis on follicular interactions
Author(s) -
Zhao J.,
Dorland M.,
Taverne M.A.M.,
Van Der Weijden G.C.,
Bevers M.M.,
Van Den Hurk R.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1098-2795(200001)55:1<65::aid-mrd9>3.0.co;2-h
Subject(s) - antral follicle , follicular phase , biology , folliculogenesis , antrum , andrology , in vitro , ovarian follicle , follicle , organ culture , medicine , endocrinology , microbiology and biotechnology , embryogenesis , embryo , biochemistry , stomach
The present study was designed to determine whether rat pre‐antral follicles can grow under in‐vitro conditions. Emphasis is on whether follicular interaction is involved in in‐vitro follicle culture, and furthermore its role in follicular development has been assessed. Pre‐antral follicles were isolated mechanically from 10‐day old rat ovaries. They were divided into small (50 μm < diameter < 100 μm) and large (120 μm < diameter < 200 μm) pre‐antral follicles and cultured individually or in groups for 6 days in medium with or without fetal calf serum (FCS). Based on morphological criteria, large pre‐antral follicles cultured in groups in serum‐free medium had significantly higher survival rates than those cultured individually. In the presence of FCS, no significant difference was detected with respect to the survival. However, the large pre‐antral follicles cultured in groups had a significantly greater increase in diameter than those cultured individually. Furthermore, follicles cultured in groups in FCS‐containing medium exhibited significantly more follicular cell proliferation than those in serum‐free medium, based on DNA measurement. The present culture system (with or without FCS) proved to be insufficient for small pre‐antral follicles to stimulate growth comparable to that of large pre‐antral follicles. The transmission electron microscopical (TEM) study revealed the ultrastructural differences between follicles cultured in FCS‐containing and serum‐free media. Taken together, the results suggest that interfollicular factors are involved in follicle development in vitro, which especially at the early folliculogenesis stage plays a positive role in terms of follicular growth as well as survival. The present culture model allows further investigation of factors that regulate early folliculogenesis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 55:65–74, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.