title: Keratinocyte growth factor and its receptor in human ovaries from fetuses, girls and women.
abstract: Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) promotes growth of rat pre-antral follicles. There is limited information regarding its presence or that of its unique receptor (KGFR) in human ovaries, specifically in pre-antral follicles. The aim of the study was to investigate the expression of KGF and KGFR in ovarian samples from human fetuses and girls/women. The samples were prepared for immunohistochemical study of the KGF protein and for in situ hybridization to localize mRNA transcripts of KGFR. Total RNA was extracted from frozen ovarian samples, and the expression of KGF mRNA transcripts was investigated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. In both fetuses and girls/women, the protein for KGF was detected from primordial stages in oocytes, granulosa cells (GCs) and stroma cells. Its mRNA transcripts were also detected in all extracts. The mRNA transcripts for KGFR were detected mainly in stroma cells in ovarian samples from both sources; in 10% of the samples, follicular staining was noted also in oocytes and GCs. Further studies adding KGF to the culture medium are needed to elucidate its putative role in human primordial follicle activation.
authors.affiliation: Infertility and IVF Unit, Helen Schneider Hospital for Women, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Hospital, Petach Tikva, Israel. ronita@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abir
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fisch
authors.forename: X Y
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Felz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kessler-Icekson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Krissi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nitke
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D051523:Fibroblast Growth Factor 7; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2; C065104:keratinocyte growth factor receptor