title: A novel method for toxicology: in vitro culture system of a rat preantral follicle.
abstract: Preantral follicle in vitro culture systems have been successfully or nearly successfully established for sheep, pig and mouse, and applied on follicle development and regulation research on reproductive biology and physiology. However, there have been few studies concerning rat preantral follicle in vitro development. The objective is to establish an in vitro culture system for rat preantral follicles which can be used for reproductive biology and toxicology research. Rat preantral follicles are mechanically separated, cultured in vitro in single follicle mode for continuous 12 days using 96-well plates, and then administrated ovulation induction. The observation on follicle development, hormone level, and ovum formation are recorded and assessed. Taking in vivo growth and in vitro maturation of oocytes group as control group, in vitro growth and maturation of oocytes group is assessed to see whether this in vitro culture method is successful. The conditions for rat follicle culture are determined based on the mouse pre-antral follicle culture. The in vitro culture system for rat preantral follicles established in this study is feasible and successful, and can serve as model for reproductive biology and toxicology research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Toxicology, Faculty of Basic Medicine Science, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.lastname: Wan Xuying
authors.lastname: Zhu Jiangbo
authors.lastname: Zhu Yuping
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xili
authors.lastname: Liu Zhen
authors.lastname: Wang Fei
authors.lastname: Xu Guifeng
authors.lastname: Zhang Tianbao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000032:analysis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development*; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012741:Sexual Maturation; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D018675:Toxicity Tests / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone