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Effects of exogenous 17β-estradiol on follicular development in the neonatal and immature mouse in vivo

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  • Published:
Reproductive Medicine and Biology

Abstract

Purpose

The study was aimed to examine the effects of exogenous 17β-estradiol (E2) on oocyte nest breakdown and follicular growth in the ovary of neonatal and immature mice.

Methods

The effect of E2 on primordial follicle formation and differentiation were examined by treating neonatal mice with E2 in mineral oil at a dose of 10 mg/kg by sc injection each day from postnatal days 1 (PND1) to 10 (PND10). This investigation was conducted by using histological observation and immunohistochemical staining of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA); the numbers of follicles at each stage were examined to assess the follicular development.

Results

The results indicated that such dose of E2 inhibited oocyte nest breakdown from PND1 to PND10 significantly and enhanced the oocyte staining intensity of PCNA in the ovary by PND3, 5 and 10. PCNA staining was mainly detected on growing follicles (stages later than primary follicle). Our results also revealed that E2 decreased the size of the reproductive tract at PD10.

Conclusions

This dose of E2 treatment inhibits oocyte nest breakdown and primordial follicle assembly, and causes follicle losses after PND5. Effects of exogenous E2 on follicular development in the neonatal and immature mouse may through a PCNA-dependent pathway.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 31172206) and a program for student research training at Nanjing Agricultural University, China.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Quanwei Wei, Fangxiong Shi, Jianwen He, Chong Xie, Ke Xu, Wei Zhang, Siyu Sun & Jaafar Fedail

  2. Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan

    Gen Watanabe & Kazuyoshi Taya

  3. Department of Basic Veterinary Science, The United Graduate School of Veterinary Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan

    Gen Watanabe & Kazuyoshi Taya

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  1. Quanwei Wei
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  2. Fangxiong Shi
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  5. Ke Xu
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  6. Wei Zhang
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  9. Gen Watanabe
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Correspondence to Fangxiong Shi.

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Wei, Q., Shi, F., He, J. et al. Effects of exogenous 17β-estradiol on follicular development in the neonatal and immature mouse in vivo. Reprod Med Biol 11, 135–141 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-012-0122-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12522-012-0122-0

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