title: The conflict between hierarchical ovarian follicular development and superovulation treatment.
abstract: In mammals with a low ovulation rate phenotype, ovarian follicular development is thought to be hierarchical with few, if any, antral follicles at similar stages of development. The hypothesis being tested herein was that if most follicles are in a functionally different state, then the application of exogenous hormones to increase ovulation rate will not overcome the hierarchical nature of follicular development. Using sheep as the experimental model, the functional states of all non-atretic antral follicles > or =2 mm diameter were assessed in individual ewes (N=10/group) during anoestrus with or without pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) treatment, or after a standard superovulation regimen, or during the follicular phase of the oestrous cycle. The functional states of these follicles were assessed by measuring the FSH- or human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)-induced cAMP responses of granulosa cells in vitro. There were significant overall effects across the treatment groups on the responses of granulosa cells to either FSH or LH (both P<0.001). It was concluded that for anoestrous ewes with or without PMSG treatment, and ewes during the follicular phase, granulosa cell populations of many follicles (> or =2 mm diameter) did not share a similar cAMP response to FSH ( approximately 50% of follicles) or hCG (>90% of follicles) either on a per cell or total cell basis. After superovulation, < or =30 and 10% respectively of the granulosa cell populations shared similar responses to FSH and LH with regard to follicular diameter and cAMP output. Thus, exogenous hormone treatments used routinely for increasing oocyte yield do not effectively override the hierarchical pattern of ovarian follicular development during the follicular phase.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6140, New Zealand. kenneth.mcnatty@vuw.ac.nz
authors.forename: Kenneth P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: McNatty
authors.forename: Derek A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: Norma L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: Karen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Reader
authors.forename: Laurel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Quirke
authors.forename: Stan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lun
authors.forename: Jenny L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Juengel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D000242:Cyclic AMP