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Granulosa cell

About: Granulosa cell is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5075 publications have been published within this topic receiving 192891 citations.


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TL;DR: In the human AMH expression follows a similar pattern as compared to the mouse and rat, suggesting an important role of AMH in folliculogenesis.
Abstract: Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a member of the transforming growth factor-b superfamily, which plays an important role in both ovarian primordial follicle recruitment and dominant follicle selection in mice. However, the role of AMH in folliculo- genesis in humans has not been investigated in detail. In the present study, AMH expression was assessed using immunohisto- chemistry in ovarian sections, obtained from healthy regularly cycling women. To this end, a novel monoclonal antibody to human AMH was developed. AMH expression was not observed in primordial follicles, whereas 74% of the primary follicles showed at least a weak signal in the granulosa cells. The highest level of AMH expression was present in the granulosa cells of secondary, preantral and small antral follicles <4 mm in diameter. In larger (4-8 mm) antral follicles, AMH expression grad- ually disappeared. In conclusion, in the human AMH expression follows a similar pattern as compared to the mouse and rat, suggesting an important role of AMH in folliculogenesis.

1,178 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Advances in the understanding of intraovarian regulatory mechanisms should facilitate the development of new approaches for monitoring and manipulating ovarian function and improving fertility in domesticated livestock, endangered species and man.
Abstract: In recent years, exciting progress has been made towards unravelling the complex intraovarian control mechanisms that, in concert with systemic signals, coordinate the recruitment, selection and growth of follicles from the primordial stage through to ovulation and corpus luteum formation. A plethora of growth factors, many belonging to the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta ) superfamily, are expressed by ovarian somatic cells and oocytes in a developmental, stage-related manner and function as intraovarian regulators of folliculogenesis. Two such factors, bone morphogenetic proteins, BMP-4 and BMP-7, are expressed by ovarian stromal cells and/or theca cells and have recently been implicated as positive regulators of the primordial-to-primary follicle transition. In contrast, evidence indicates a negative role for anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH, also known as Mullerian-inhibiting substance) of pre-granulosa/granulosa cell origin in this key event and subsequent progression to the antral stage. Two other TGF-beta superfamily members, growth and differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) and BMP-15 (also known as GDF-9B) are expressed in an oocyte-specific manner from a very early stage and play key roles in promoting follicle growth beyond the primary stage; mice with null mutations in the gdf-9 gene or ewes with inactivating mutations in gdf-9 or bmp-15 genes are infertile with follicle development arrested at the primary stage. Studies on later stages of follicle development indicate positive roles for granulosa cell-derived activin, BMP-2, -5 and -6, theca cell-derived BMP-2, -4 and -7 and oocyte-derived BMP-6 in promoting granulosa cell proliferation, follicle survival and prevention of premature luteinization and/or atresia. Concomitantly, activin, TGF-beta and several BMPs may exert paracrine actions on theca cells to attenuate LH-dependent androgen production in small to medium-size antral follicles. Dominant follicle selection in monovular species may depend on differential FSH sensitivity amongst a growing cohort of small antral follicles. Changes in intrafollicular activins, GDF-9, AMH and several BMPs may contribute to this selection process by modulating both FSH- and IGF-dependent signalling pathways in granulosa cells. Activin may also play a positive role in oocyte maturation and acquisition of developmental competence. In addition to its endocrine role to suppress FSH secretion, increased output of inhibin by the selected dominant follicle(s) may upregulate LH-induced androgen secretion that is required to sustain a high level of oestradiol secretion during the pre-ovulatory phase. Advances in our understanding of intraovarian regulatory mechanisms should facilitate the development of new approaches for monitoring and manipulating ovarian function and improving fertility in domesticated livestock, endangered species and man.

1,037 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results reveal a functional redundancy between ERalpha and ERbeta for ovarian folliculogenesis, and strongly suggest that ERbeta plays an important role in mediating the stimulatory effects of estrogens on granulosa cell proliferation.
Abstract: The functions of estrogen receptors (ERs) in mouse ovary and genital tracts were investigated by generating null mutants for ERalpha (ERalphaKO), ERbeta (ERbetaKO) and both ERs (ERalphabetaKO). All ERalphaKO females are sterile, whereas ERbetaKO females are either infertile or exhibit variable degrees of subfertility. Mast cells present in adult ERalphaKO and ERalphabetaKO ovaries could participate in the generation of hemorrhagic cysts. Folliculogenesis proceeds normally up to the large antral stage in both ERalphaKO and ERbetaKO adults, whereas large antral follicles of ERalpha+/-ERbetaKO and ERalphabetaKO adults are markedly deficient in granulosa cells. Similarly, prematurely developed follicles found in prepubertal ERalphaKO ovaries appear normal, but their ERalphabetaKO counterparts display only few granulosa cell layers. Upon superovulation treatment, all prepubertal ERalphaKO females form numerous preovulatory follicles of which the vast majority do not ovulate. The same treatment fails to elicit the formation of preovulatory follicles in half of the ERbetaKO mice and in all ERalpha+/-/ERbetaKO mice. These and other results reveal a functional redundancy between ERalpha and ERbeta for ovarian folliculogenesis, and strongly suggest that (1) ERbeta plays an important role in mediating the stimulatory effects of estrogens on granulosa cell proliferation, (2) ERalpha is not required for follicle growth under wild type conditions, while it is indispensable for ovulation, and (3) ERalpha is also necessary for interstitial glandular cell development. Our data also indicate that ERbeta exerts some function in ERalphaKO uterus and vagina. ERalphabetaKO granulosa cells localized within degenerating follicles transform into cells displaying junctions that are unique to testicular Sertoli cells. From the distribution pattern of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in ERalphabetaKO ovaries, it is unlikely that an elevated AMH level is the cause of Sertoli cell differentiation. Our results also show that cell proliferation in the prostate and urinary bladder of old ERbetaKO and ERalphabetaKO males is apparently normal.

1,011 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The existence of an oocyte-granulosa cell regulatory loop, essential for normal follicular differentiation as well as for the production of a oocyte competent to undergo fertilization and embryogenesis, is proposed.
Abstract: A new perspective on ovarian follicular development has emerged over the last decade. Whereas the oocyte was previously considered only a passive recipient of developmental signals from oocyte-associated granulosa cells, it is now clear that communication between oocytes and granulosa cells is bidirectional. A complex interplay of regulatory factors governs the development of both types of cell. This interplay is essential not only for oocyte development but also for follicular development, beginning with the initial assembly of the primordial follicle and continuing throughout ovulation. The existence of an oocyte-granulosa cell regulatory loop, essential for normal follicular differentiation as well as for the production of an oocyte competent to undergo fertilization and embryogenesis, is proposed. Although gonadotrophins are essential for driving the differentiation of granulosa cell phenotypes, within its sphere of influence, the oocyte is probably the dominant factor determining the direction of differentiation and the function of the granulosa cells associated with it.

948 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The findings indicate that Sm-C/IGF-I synergizes with FSH in the induction of rat granulosa cell aromatase activity at nanomolar concentrations compatible with its granULosa cell receptor binding affinity, and can be added to a growing list of growth factors known to modulate granul Rosa cell growth and function.
Abstract: A relatively large body of evidence now appears to support the existence of the essential ingredients for novel intraovarian IGF-driven control mechanisms. Indeed, evidence presented in this communication is in keeping with the possibility that the granulosa cell may be the site of IGF production, reception, and action. Although the relevance of IGFs to ovarian cell types other than the granulosa cell is largely unknown, one cannot at the present time exclude the possibility of nongranulosa cell contributions to intraovarian IGF production, reception, and action. Indeed, preliminary affinity cross-linking studies (Adashi, Resnick, Svoboda, Van Wyk and D'Ercole; unpublished data) suggest the existence of type-I and type-II receptors in nongranulosa cell compartments. The above notwithstanding, IGFs of granulosa (and possibly circulatory) origins may interact with granulosa cell autoreceptors either independently or in synergy with other granulosa cell agonists. According to this view, IGFs may act in the autocrine mode to stimulate granulosa cell replication on the one hand and promote granulosa cell differentiation on the other. Although proliferation and terminal differentiation may prove mutually exclusive under some circumstances, coexistence of the two processes is being increasingly recognized. In this context, some studies of porcine granulosa cells support a dual role for IGFs in granulosa cell ontogeny. As such, the IGFs can be added to a growing list of growth factors known to modulate granulosa cell growth and function, including EGF, PDGF, and FGF. Our findings indicate that Sm-C/IGF-I synergizes with FSH in the induction of rat granulosa cell aromatase activity at nanomolar concentrations compatible with its granulosa cell receptor binding affinity (thus far studied only in porcine cells. A role for Sm-C/IGF-I in the regulation of this key granulosa cell function would be in keeping with the possibility that Sm-C/IGF-I may partake in the assertion and maintenance of dominance by the selected follicle(s) or in promoting juvenile and early follicular development. Moreover, the ability of Sm-C/IGF-I to potentiate this and other FSH-driven ovarian functions may also account, at least in part, for the puberty-promoting effect of growth hormone. This permissive action of growth hormone has been initially suggested by observation in growth hormone-deficient rats, mice (dwarf mutants, and humans (sporadic, hereditary or acquired growth hormone deficiency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

905 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202384
2022112
2021160
2020142
2019147
2018141