Differential Steroidogenic Response of Granulosa Cells from Different Regions within a Bovine Follicle to FSH Stimulation in vitro

Authors: Mehmet KURAN

Abstract: The objectiv of the present study was to investigate the steroidogenic capacity of granulosa cells from different areas within a bovine fillicle. Bovine granulosa cells were isolated by gently scraping the inner layer of 5 to 8 mm diameter follicles (mostly mural granulosa cells) or aspirated from follicles using a 10 ml syringe and neddle (mostly antral and cumulus granulosa cells). Scraped and aspirated granulosa cells (2-3x10^5 viable cells/ well) were cultured with either basal medium (control) or 10\mu\mu FSH for 4 days at 37°C in a humidified atmosphere in 1 ml of serum-free culture medium. Aspirated granulose cells produced (P<0.001) 10 to 20 times more progesterone (for control, 25.0 ± 3.1 and for 10\mu\muFSH, 55.4 ± 6.8 ng progesterone/\muDNA) than scaped cells (for control, 0.9 ± 0.2 and for 10\mumFSH, 5.4 ± 0.6 ng progesterone/\mug DNA). These results suggest that mural granulosa cells are less differentiated than antral and/or comulus cells.

Keywords: Antral, cumulus, mural, granulosa cells, follicle, cattle, FSH