Follicle-stimulating hormone receptors in oocytes?
The regulatory mechanisms of oocyte maturation remain poorly understood. Although gonadotropins play a major role in these processes, they have generally been considered to act on somatic supportive cells, but not directly on germ cells. We have raised high affinity monoclonal antibodies against LH and FSH receptors. When using the latter to study receptor distribution in human and pig ovaries we have observed the presence of FSH (but not LH) receptors in the oocytes. FSH receptors appeared in the oocytes of primary follicles during follicular development and persisted up to the preovulatory stage. In denuded human preovulatory oocytes, FSH receptor mRNA was detected at a concentration per cell exceeding by about 20-fold that present in granulosa cells. Saturable binding of [(125)I]FSH to the membrane of oocytes was demonstrated by autoradiography. When incubated with FSH, denuded oocytes responded by a mobilization of Ca(2+). These observations concur to demonstrate the presence of functional FSH receptors in oocytes and raise the possibility of direct control of oocyte development by FSH.
Méduri
Geri
G
Unité de Recherches, INSERM, U-135, Hormones, Gènes, et Reproduction, Hôpital Bicêtre, 94275 Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
Charnaux
Nathalie
N
Driancourt
Marc-Antoine
MA
Combettes
Laurent
L
Granet
Philippe
P
Vannier
Brigitte
B
Loosfelt
Hugues
H
Milgrom
Edwin
E
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D005496:Follicular Atresia / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011962:Receptors, FSH / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013552:Swine
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D002118:Calcium