title: Bradykinin induces contractions of the human ovarian follicular wall in vitro.
abstract: Bradykinin has been shown to have a positive modulatory role in the ovulatory process. In the present study, the contractile properties elicited by bradykinin (10(-12)-10(-5) M) in the isolated human follicular wall were examined. Strips from the follicular base and apex were mounted separately and superfused at 37 degrees C with oxygenated HEPES buffer in tissue chambers. The contractile activity was recorded isometrically by a force transducer (Grass model FT03), under a passive tension of 5 mN. Preovulatory follicles (cycle day 10-14) were more sensitive to bradykinin than follicles of an earlier developmental stage (cycle day 1-9). The response to bradykinin was not altered by the addition of indomethacin (10(-7) M), atropine (10(-6) M) or phenoxybenzamine (10(-7) M). These data suggest that the contraction caused by bradykinin is a specific effect, which, under physiological conditions, might contribute to the ovulatory process by inducing a rise in tone in the follicle thereby facilitating the extrusion of the oocyte through the digested follicular apex.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hellberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Norström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001920:Bradykinin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008875:Middle Aged; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001920:Bradykinin