title: Follicular expression of c-Kit/SCF and inhibin-alpha in mouse ovary during development.
abstract: The mechanism of development of the ovarian follicles has been largely unknown. We performed an immunohistochemical (IHC) study to determine the follicular expressions of c-kit, SCF, and inhibin-alpha at different developmental stages in mouse ovary. Ovaries were obtained from 14 and 16 days post coitum and 2, 7, and 21 days post partum (dpp) mice. IHC for c-kit, SCF, and inhibin-alpha was carried out. c-Kit and SCF were expressed on oogonia regardless of the developmental stage. Immunoreactive c-kit and SCF antigens were expressed on oocytes of primordial and primary follicles of neonate mouse ovaries. In 21 dpp mouse ovary, the expression of c-kit/SCF in oocytes gradually decreased as the follicles developed. c-Kit/SCF was expressed strongly in oocytes of preantral follicles and weakly in granulosa and thecal cells. Inhibin-alpha was mainly expressed on granulosa cells of preantral and early antral follicles of the 21 dpp mouse ovaries. These findings suggest that the IHC expression of c-kit/SCF proteins is specific in all developmental stages of ovarian follicles and is decreased after the follicle starts to grow. The expression of inhibin-alpha is negatively correlated with the expression of c-kit/SCF in the ovarian follicles in mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Seong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Chang Joo
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Joong Yeol
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Rha
authors.forename: Kang Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Moon Hyang
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007265:Inhibins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051379:Mice; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: C094377:inhibin-alpha subunit; D007265:Inhibins; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit