Kasuya K
Department of Anatomy, Niigata University School of Medicine, Japan.
Arch Histol Cytol. 1995 Jun;58(2):257-64. doi: 10.1679/aohc.58.257.
Using rabbit ovaries, this study investigated the fate of follicular epithelial cells undergoing apoptosis in follicle atresia, especially in atretic Graafian follicles. This is the first report to apply the TUNEL method and histochemistry for acid phosphatase in order to demonstrate macrophages immigrating into the follicles to eliminate the apoptotically dead epithelial cells. At initial stages of atresia, a few epithelial cells solitarily revealed the condensation of nuclear chromatin characteristic of apoptosis, simultaneously reacting positive to the TUNEL method. At advanced stages, chromatin condensation and separation as well as cytoplasmic fragmentation spread to the entire follicular epithelium. In such an advanced atretic follicle, large round cells appeared in the follicular lumen; these could be identified as macrophages by their morphologies and positive reactions for acid phosphatase. These macrophages were adhering to and internalizing apoptotic epithelial cells and their fragments until the lumen became completely free of dead cells and fragments.
本研究利用兔卵巢，调查了卵泡闭锁过程中尤其是闭锁的格拉夫卵泡中经历凋亡的卵泡上皮细胞的命运。这是首次应用TUNEL法和酸性磷酸酶组织化学来证明巨噬细胞迁移到卵泡中以清除凋亡死亡的上皮细胞的报告。在闭锁初期，少数上皮细胞单独出现凋亡特征性的核染色质凝聚，同时对TUNEL法呈阳性反应。在晚期，染色质凝聚、分离以及细胞质碎片化扩散至整个卵泡上皮。在这种晚期闭锁卵泡中，卵泡腔内出现大的圆形细胞；根据其形态和酸性磷酸酶阳性反应可将这些细胞鉴定为巨噬细胞。这些巨噬细胞附着并吞噬凋亡的上皮细胞及其碎片，直到卵泡腔内完全没有死亡细胞和碎片。
