title: Mammalian follicular development and atresia: role of apoptosis.
abstract: The regulation of follicular development and atresia is a complex process and involves interactions between endocrine factors (gonadotropins) and intraovarian regulators (sex steroids, growth factors and cytokines) in the control of follicular cell fate (i.e. proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death). Granulosa and theca cells are key players in this fascinating process. As atresia is the fate of most follicles, understanding of how these physiological regulators participate in determining the destiny of the follicle (to degenerate or to ovulate) at cellular and subcellular levels is fundamental. This short review summarizes the role of intraovarian modulators of programmed cell death in the induction of atresia during follicular development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Loeb Health Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital (Civic Campus), Canada.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Asselin
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Y F
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Tsang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000502:physiology; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D005496:Follicular Atresia / Q000502:physiology*; D006062:Gonadotropins / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000502:physiology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006062:Gonadotropins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D019014:fas Receptor; D020169:Caspases