Requirements for human chorionic gonadotropin and recombinant human luteinizing hormone for follicular development and maturation.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to evaluate the requirements for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and recombinant luteinizing hormone (rec-LH) for follicular development and maturation in mice.


METHODS
We carried out ovarian stimulation of immature mice. Output parameters were the preembryos created in vivo and frequency of blastocyst formation in vitro.


RESULTS
hCG at 0 to 1 IU resulted in a dose-dependent recovery of preembryos (0 to 39.7 +/- 4.3; mean +/- SE) per mouse. hCG at 1 and 10 hCG gave similar results, whereas higher doses significantly reduced the number of preembryos. Potential for blastocyst formation was independent of hCG dose. hCG and rec-LH together exerted a synergistic effect on the recovery of preembryos.


CONCLUSIONS
Optimal follicular development required a combination of 20 IU follicle stimulating hormone and 1-10 IU hCG. The potency of hCG was higher than that of rec-LH, but a synergistic effect of rec-LH and hCG was observed. The results may be pertinent for the development of strategies for ovarian stimulation of women with low levels of endogenous LH.
Andersen
C Y
CY
Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Juliane Marie Center for Children, Women and Reproduction, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark.
Ziebe
S
S
Guoliang
X
X
Byskov
A G
AG
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009865:Oocytes / Q000254:growth & development*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000254:growth & development*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone