Summary
Homocellular gap junctions between granulosa cells and between theca interna cells, and heterocellular gap junctions between granulosa cells and oocytes persist in rat ovarian follicles for as long as 90 days following hypophysectomy. Gonadotrophic and/or steroid hormones are therefore not required for the maintenance of gap junctions between these cells during early follicular growth. However, replacement therapy with estrogen and human chorionic gonadotrophin results in amplification of gap junctions in granulosa and theca interna cells respectively. Within 24 h following hormonal stimulation, growth of gap junctions is characterized by the appearance of formation plaques as observed in freeze-fracture replicas and by the association of microfilamentous material located subadjacent to gap junction membrane observable in thin-sectioned cells.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bennett MVL (1973) Function of electrotonic junctions in embryonic and adult tissues. Fed Proc 32:65–75
Bergman RA (1968) Uterine smooth muscle fibers in castrate and estrogen-treated rats. J Cell Biol 36:639–648
Bjersing L, Cajander S (1974) Ovulation and the mechanism of follicle rupture. IV. Ultrastructure of membrana granulosa of rabbit Graafian follicles prior to induced ovulation. Cell Tissue Res 153:1–14
Burghardt RC, Andersen E (1979) Hormonal modulation of ovarian interstitial cell with particular reference to gap junctions. J Cell Biol 81:104–114
Carithers JR, Green JA (1972) Ultrastructure of rat ovarian interstitial cells. I. Normal structure and regressive changes following hypophysectomy. J Ultrastruct Res 39:239–250
Caveney S (1978) Intercellular communication in insect development is hormonally controlled. Science (Wash DC) 199:192–195
Decker RS (1976a) Hormonal regulation of gap junction differentiation. J Cell Biol 69;669–685
Decker RS (1976b) Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-induced formation of gap junctions between differentiating Y-1 tumor cells in vitro. J Cell Biol 70 2, pt 2: 412a (Abstr)
Edwards RG, Fowler RE, Gore-Langton RE, Godsen RG, Jones EC, Readhead D, Steptoe PC (1977) Normal and abnormal follicular growth in mouse, rat and human ovaries. J Reprod Fertil 51:237–263
Elias P, Friend DS (1976) Vitamin A-induced mucous metaplasia: an in vitro system for modulating tight and gap junction differentiation. J Cell Biol 68:173–188
Falck B (1959) Site of production of oestrogen in rat ovary as studied by microtransplants. Acta Physiol Scand 47:Suppl 163
Furshpan EJ, Potter DD (1968) Low resistance junctions between cells in embryos and tissue culture. Curr Top Dev 3:95–127
Garfield RE, Sims SM, Kanna MS, Daniel EE (1978) Possible role of gap junctions in activation of myometrium during parturition. Am J Physiol 235:C168-C179
Gilula NB (1974) Junctions between cells. In: Cox RP (ed) Cell Communication. John Wiley and Sons, New York, pp 1–29
Heuser JE, Reese TS, Landis DMD (1976) Preservation of synaptic structure by rapid freezing. Cold Spring Harbor Symp Quant Biol 40:17–24
Hisaw FL (1947) Development of the Graafian follicle and ovulation. Physiol Rev 27:95–119
Johnson G, Quick D, Johnson R, Herman W (1974) Influence of hormones on gap junctions in horseshoe crabs. J Cell Biol 63 (2, pt 2): 157a (Abstr)
Johnson R, Hammer M, Sheridan JD, Revel JP (1974) Gap junction formation between reaggregated Novikoff hepatoma cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 71:4536–4540
Larsen WJ, Tung H-N, Murray SA, Swenson CA (1979) Evidence for the participation of actin microfilaments and bristle coats in the internalization of gap junction membrane. J Cell Biol 83:576–587
Loewenstein WE (1968) Communication through cell junctions: implications in growth control and differentiation. Dev Biol Suppl 2:151–183
Makris A, Ryan KJ (1975) Progesterone, androstendione, testosterone, estrone and estradiol synthesis in hamster ovarian follicle cells. Endocrinology 96:694–701
Meda P, Perrelet A, Orci L (1979) Increase of gap junctions between pancreatic B-cells during stimulation of insulin secretion. J Cell Biol 82:441–448
Meda P, Hablan P, Perrelet A, Renold AE, Orci L (1980) Gap junction development is correlated with insulin content in the pancreatic B cell. Science (Wash DC) 209:1026–1028
Merk FB, Botticelli CR, Albright JT (1972) An intercellular response to estrogen by granulosa cells in the rat ovary; An electron microscopy study. Endocrinology 90:992–1007
Moon YS, Dorrington JH, Armstrong DT (1975) Regulation of ovarian estrodial-17β synthesis by FSH and testosterone. 8th Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction. Abstr 199, p 108
Oakberg EF (1979) Follicular growth and atresia in the mouse. In Vitro 15:41–49
Pederson T (1970) Follicle kinetics in the ovary of the cyclic mouse. Acta Endocrinol 64:304–323
Peters H, Byskov AG, Himelstein-Braw R, Faber M (1975) Follicular growth: the basic event in the mouse and human ovary. J Reprod Fertil 45:559–566
Raviola E, Goodenough DA, Raviola G (1978) The native structure of gap junctions rapidly frozen at 4° K. J Cell Biol 79 (2, pt2): 229a (Abstr)
Ryan RJ, Lee CY (1976) The role of membrane bound receptors. Biol Reprod 14:16–29
Ryan KJ, Petro Z, Kaiser J (1968) Steroid formation by isolated and recombined ovarian granulosa and thecal cells. J Clin Endocrinol 28:255–258
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Burghardt, R.C., Anderson, E. Hormonal modulation of gap junctions in rat ovarian follicles. Cell Tissue Res. 214, 181–193 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235155
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00235155