In vitro steroid secretion by intact bovine ovarian follicles in a superfusion system.
A superfusion system for single intact follicles is described. Bovine follicles were superfused for 5 to 10 hours. Progesterone and testosterone secretion was stable after an adaptation period of 150 min. A 5-minute stimulation with hCG resulted in a 2-fold increase in progesterone secretion. Superfusion for 450 minutes of 3 small follicles of similar size and in the same ovary next to each other showed different secretion patterns of progesterone and testosterone. Superfusion for 150 minutes of follicles obtained from 2 pairs of ovaries showed that follicular size is not a sufficient criterion to predict the progesterone and testosterone secretion pattern. Closeness of follicles (big or small) to a corpus luteum did not impair their ability to secrete progesterone and testosterone. It is concluded that a superfusion system as has been described in this report is an effective and desirable method to study the physiology and pathophysiology of single intact follicles.
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010477:Perfusion; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone