Menstruation Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Menstruation, including details on menstrual cycle, pregnancy, pain, irregular menstruation.

Cell proliferation in the atretic follicles of buffalo and cattle ovary.

Feranil JB, Isobe N, Nakao T

Laboratory of Animal Science, Graduate School for International Development and Cooperation, Hiroshima University, Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.

The present study was carried out to describe the proliferative activity of granulosa and theca cells in healthy antral and atretic follicles of Philippine buffaloes (BU) and Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows. Paraffin sections of ovary were immunostained with mouse monoclonal antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Then the follicles were classified into healthy and various stages of atretic follicles. The granulosa layer of healthy follicles had a significantly higher frequency of PCNA-positive cells than the early and advanced atretic follicles in both breeds. In the theca interna, significantly reduced populations of the PCNA-positive cells were found in both breeds as atresia progressed. Moreover, HF had significantly higher PCNA-positive cells in the theca interna of healthy, early atretic and advanced atretic follicles than BU. A reduction of PCNA-positive cells during atresia was also noted in the theca externa in both animals although differences were not significant. The results of the present work suggest that the proliferative activity of granulosa and theca cells decreases in association with follicular atresia in the BU similar to HF. Furthermore, a significantly deficient cell proliferative activity of theca interna was found in BU compared with HF.

Published 15 December 2004 in Reprod Domest Anim, 39(6): 405-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Menstruation Research Today. All Rights Reserved.