Tajima Kimihisa, Orisaka Makoto, Hosokawa Kumiko, Amsterdam Abraham, Kotsuji Fumikazu
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fukui Medical University, Fukui 910-1193, Japan.
Biol Reprod. 2002 Jun;66(6):1635-9. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod66.6.1635.
We have investigated the role of theca cells in the control of apoptosis and proliferation of granulosa cells during bovine ovarian follicular development using a coculture system in which granulosa and theca cells were grown on opposite sides of a collagen membrane. A DNA fluorescence flow cytometry was used to determine the extent of apoptosis and proliferation in populations of granulosa cells. When granulosa cells were isolated from small follicles (3-5 mm), the percentage of apoptotic cells gradually increased by 1.8-fold during the 3 days of culture. This change was reduced (3.1-fold) by the presence of theca cells. When the cells were isolated from large follicles (15-18 mm), the percentage of apoptotic granulosa cells was gradually reduced (3.4-fold) during the 3 days of culture in single-cultured groups. The percentage of apoptosis on Day 1 was reduced (1.6-fold) by the presence of theca cells. However, such an effect was not detected on Days 2 and 3 of the culture. Theca cells did not affect the proliferation of granulosa cells obtained from either small or large follicles. The present study suggests that theca cells regulate the fate of granulosa cells throughout the follicular maturation process by secreting factors that suppress apoptosis.
我们使用一种共培养系统，研究了在牛卵巢卵泡发育过程中，卵泡膜细胞在控制颗粒细胞凋亡和增殖方面的作用。在该共培养系统中，颗粒细胞和卵泡膜细胞生长在胶原膜的两侧。采用DNA荧光流式细胞术来确定颗粒细胞群体中的凋亡和增殖程度。当从小卵泡（3 - 5毫米）中分离出颗粒细胞时，在培养的3天内，凋亡细胞的百分比逐渐增加了1.8倍。卵泡膜细胞的存在使这种变化减少（3.1倍）。当从大卵泡（15 - 18毫米）中分离细胞时，在单培养组培养的3天内，凋亡颗粒细胞的百分比逐渐降低（3.4倍）。第1天，卵泡膜细胞的存在使凋亡百分比降低（1.6倍）。然而，在培养的第2天和第3天未检测到这种作用。卵泡膜细胞不影响从小卵泡或大卵泡中获得的颗粒细胞的增殖。本研究表明，卵泡膜细胞通过分泌抑制凋亡的因子，在整个卵泡成熟过程中调节颗粒细胞的命运。
