Patterns of antral follicular wave dynamics and accompanying endocrine changes in cyclic and seasonally anestrous ewes treated with exogenous ovine follicle-stimulating hormone during the inter-wave interval.
In the ewe, ovarian follicular waves emerge every 4 to 5 days and are preceded by a peak in FSH secretion. It is unclear whether large antral follicle(s) in a wave suppress the growth of other smaller follicles during the inter-wave interval, as is seen in cattle. In this study, anestrous (n = 6; experiment 1) and cyclic (n = 5; experiment 2) Western white face ewes were given ovine FSH (oFSH) (0.5 microg/kg; two s.c. injections, 8 h apart) during the growth phase (based on ultrasonography) of a follicular wave (wave 1). Control ewes (n = 5 and 6, respectively) received vehicle. In oFSH-treated ewes, serum FSH concentrations reached a peak (P < 0.05) by 12 h after oFSH treatment, and this induced FSH peak did not differ (P > 0.05) from the endogenous FSH peaks. In all ewes, emergence of follicular waves 1 and 2 was seen (P > 0.05). However, in oFSH-treated ewes, an additional follicular wave emerged approximately 0.5 days after treatment: during the interwave interval of waves 1 and 2 without delaying the emergence of wave 2. The growth characteristics and serum estradiol concentrations did not differ (P > 0.05) between oFSH-induced waves and waves induced by endogenous FSH peaks. We concluded that, unlike in cattle, the largest follicle of a wave in sheep has limited direct effect on the growth of other follicles induced by exogenous oFSH. In addition, the largest follicle of a wave may possibly not influence the rhythmicity of follicular wave emergence, as it does in cattle.
Duggavathi
Raj
R
Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5B4.
Bartlewski
Pawel M
PM
Barrett
David M W
DM
Gratton
Chantelle
C
Bagu
Edward T
ET
Rawlings
Norman C
NC
D000780:Anestrus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*
D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone