Summary
Membrana granulosa cells were aspirated from large follicles of proestrous rat ovaries and were cultivated as monolayers. For histochemical identification of dehydrogenases, the monolayers were incubated in various steroid substrates, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and Nitro Blue Tetrazolium. The presence of Δp5-3β-, 3α-, 17β- and 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases was demonstrated by the 4th day in vitro and was evident for as long as 20 days. Since none of these hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases is demonstrable in the membrana granulosa of intact follicles, it is concluded that the steroidogenic capacity of the cells, repressed in the preovulatory follicle in vivo, can be expressed upon mechanical removal from the follicle just as steroid synthesis occurs in these cells after normal ovulation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Channing, C. P. 1966. Progesterone synthesis by equine granulosa cells growing in tissue culture. Nature (Lond.) 210: 1266.
Schomberg, D. W. 1967. A demonstrationin vitro of luteolytic activity in pig uterine flushings. J. Endocr. 38: 359–360.
Channing, C. P. 1969. Tissue culture of equine ovarian cell types: culture methods and morphology. J. Endocrinol. 43: 381–390.
Channing, C. P. 1970. Effects of stage of the menstrual cycle and gonadotrophins on luteinization of rhesus monkey granulosa cells in culture. Endocrinology 87: 49–60.
Channing, C. P. 1970. Effects of stage of the estrous cycle and gonadotrophins upon luteinization of porcine granulosa cells in culture. Endocrinology 87: 156–164.
Channing, C. P. 1969. Studies on tissue culture of equine ovarian cell types: effect of gonadotrophins and stage of cycle on steroidogenesis. J. Endocrinol. 43: 415–425.
Redmond, W. C., I. D. K. Halkerston, and D. Bartosik. 1970. A simple method for harvesting aggregates of viable granulosa cells from rat graafian follicles. Anat. Rec. 166: 366.
Hoyer, P. E., and H. Andersen. 1970. Speeificity of steroid histochemistry, with special reference to the use of steroid solvents. Distribution of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in kidney and thymus from the mouse. Histochemie 24: 292–306.
Rubin, B. L., H. W. Deane, and K. Balogh, Jr. 1969. Ovarian steroid biosynthesis and Δ5-3β-20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activities. Trans. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 31: 787–802.
Baillie, A. H., M. M. Ferguson, and D. M. Hart. 1966.Developments in Steroid Histochemistry. Academic Press, New York.
Macmillan, K. L., and H. D. H. Hafs. 1968. Pituitary and hypothalamic endocrine changes associated with reproductive development of Holstein bulls. J. Anim. Sci. 27: 1614–1620.
Mossman, N. W., and J. Judas. 1949. Accessory corpora lutea, lutein cell origin, and the ovarian cycle in the Canadian porcupine. Am. J. Anat. 85: 1–39.
Weir, B. J. 1971. Some observations on reproduction in the female green acouchi,Myoprocta pratta. J. Reprod. Fertil. 24: 193–202.
El-Fouly, M. A., B. Cook, M. Nekola, and A. V. Nalbandov. 1970. Role of the ovum in follicular luteinization. Endocrinology 87: 288–293.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was supported in part by a Faculty Research Grant from the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, and by United States Public Health Service Grants RR-05383-09 and AM-06918-06.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fischer, T.V., Kahn, R.H. Histochemical studies of rat ovarian follicular cells in vitro. In Vitro 7, 201–205 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02615976
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02615976