The regulatory role of FSH in steroid formation by luteinized human granulosa cells in culture.
Granulosa cells were aspirated from human pre-ovulatory follicles following a combined clomiphene-gonadotrophin stimulation in an in-vitro fertilization (IVF) programme. The cells were cultured for 8 days in medium M199 containing 10% bovine fetal calf serum under 5% CO2 in air. Pure human FSH and human LH were added alone or in combination to the culture in various concentrations and the progesterone (P) and oestradiol-17 beta (E2) levels in the medium were measured every second day by a conventional RIA technique. In the presence of FSH or LH the formation of P increased 2- to 3-fold with the pronounced effect after 4 to 6 days in culture. Addition of testosterone (T) (3 X 10(-7) M) to the culture medium affected neither basal nor gonadotrophin stimulated P formation. In this system, only minute amounts of E2 were formed and neither FSH nor LH stimulated its formation. When the medium was fortified with T, basal E2 formation increased 50- to 100-fold. FSH further stimulated this conversion significantly after 6 and 8 days of culture, while LH had no significant influence.
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology; D003470:Culture Media; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013739:Testosterone / Q000494:pharmacology
D003470:Culture Media; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone