Nie Ruixue, Zheng Xiaotong, Zhang Wenhui, Zhang Bo, Ling Yao, Zhang Hao, Wu Changxin
National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
School of Biotechnology, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212100, China.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Mar 11;12(6):713. doi: 10.3390/ani12060713.
Ovarian follicle selection largely depends on the transition of granulosa cells from an undifferentiated to a fully differentiated state, which is accompanied by morphological and functional changes in follicles. The processes and transcriptional regulation of follicles during follicle selection are unclear; we thus used follicles from the prehierarchal to the hierarchal stage to investigate histology, reproductive endocrinology, and transcription. The morphology of follicles changed markedly during follicle selection. The numbers of large white, small yellow, and large yellow follicles (LWF, SYF, and LYF, respectively) were 11.83 ± 2.79, 6.83 ± 2.23, and 1.00, respectively, per ovary. LYF showed thicker granulosa cell layers than those of other prehierarchal follicles. Progesterone concentrations were significantly higher in LYF than that in LWF and SYF. In total, 16,823 genes were positively expressed in LWF, SYF, and LYF. Among follicle types, 1290 differentially expressed genes were enriched regarding cell differentiation, blood vessel morphogenesis, and response to steroid hormones. Candidate genes associated with follicle selection participated in the Wnt signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and the TGF-β signaling pathway. We produced insights into crucial morphological characteristics of transcriptional regulation in follicle development. Our results provide an important basis for revealing the mechanism of follicle selection and potential impact on the poultry industry.
卵巢卵泡选择很大程度上取决于颗粒细胞从未分化状态向完全分化状态的转变，这伴随着卵泡的形态和功能变化。卵泡选择过程中卵泡的进程和转录调控尚不清楚；因此，我们使用从等级前阶段到等级阶段的卵泡来研究组织学、生殖内分泌学和转录情况。在卵泡选择过程中，卵泡形态发生了显著变化。每只卵巢中大白卵泡、小黄卵泡和大黄卵泡（分别为LWF、SYF和LYF）的数量分别为11.83±2.79、6.83±2.23和1.00。LYF的颗粒细胞层比其他等级前卵泡的更厚。LYF中的孕酮浓度显著高于LWF和SYF中的孕酮浓度。总共16823个基因在LWF、SYF和LYF中呈阳性表达。在卵泡类型中，1290个差异表达基因在细胞分化、血管形态发生和对类固醇激素的反应方面得到富集。与卵泡选择相关的候选基因参与了Wnt信号通路、类固醇激素生物合成和TGF-β信号通路。我们对卵泡发育中转录调控的关键形态特征有了深入了解。我们的结果为揭示卵泡选择机制及其对家禽业的潜在影响提供了重要依据。
