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Morphological and Biochemical Studies on Cultured Human Granulosa Cells
Author(s) -
Fukushima Michio,
Tanaka Shoichi,
Sato Takuhiro,
Hashimoto Masayoshi
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
asia‐oceania journal of obstetrics and gynaecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.597
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1447-0756
pISSN - 0389-2328
DOI - 10.1111/j.1447-0756.1983.tb00661.x
Subject(s) - granulosa cell , lipid droplet , endoplasmic reticulum , microfilament , secretion , endocrinology , medicine , intracellular , microbiology and biotechnology , stromal cell , biology , ultrastructure , ovarian follicle , chemistry , ovary , cell , cytoskeleton , anatomy , biochemistry
Granulosa cells were obtained from human ovarian follicles. In cultured granulosa cells obtained from large follicles clear‐cut ultrastructural features of steroid secreting cells were not observed due to the paucity of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. This is in keeping with their low progesterone secretion rate as measured by the RIA method and seems to indicate an early stage of luteinization. In cultured granulosa cells obtained from small follicles, oil‐red‐O‐stained lipid droplets were observed mostly in stromal cell layers, while in large follicles under light microscopy these were located in the granulosa cell layers. These lipid droplets may play an important role in progesterone production, but the amount of lipid clearly does not always reflect active hormone secretion, since the above results indicated low progesterone secretion. Numerous intracellular microfilaments were seen under electron microscopy in cultured granulosa cells obtained from large follicles over a 3‐day period. During this same time, progesterone production increased, and then decreased gradually. The microfilaments in granulosa cells may, therefore, be related to progesterone production.