title: Immunolocalization of aquaporin 5 during rat ovarian follicle development and expansion of the preovulatory cumulus oophorus.
abstract: Immunofluorescent localization of aquaporin 5 (AQP5) was investigated in rat ovarian follicles during development and preovulatory cumulus oophorus expansion. Ampullary cumuli oophori complexes (COCs) were examined. Analysis revealed that AQP5 immunostaining appeared in preantral follicles and formed a characteristic ring encircling and touching the oolemma. The staining represented most likely AQP5 functioning at the ends of corona radiata cell projections, anchoring on the oocyte surface. However, several hours after the presumptive preovulatory LH surge, when the process of expansion of COCs started, the AQP5 staining appeared also on the cumulus granulosa cells and in the extracellular matrix. In the postovulatory ampullary COCs the fluorescent ring was not observed, which may be the result of the well-established preovulatory withdrawal of projections from the zona pellucida. At that time-point immunofluorescent staining of AQP5 appeared in most oocytes and was also present in the apical membrane of epithelial cells of the oviduct ampulla. The latter observation suggests that after ovulation AQP5 is involved in the transcellular movement of water in the oviduct ampulla and oocytes in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Starowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: malgorzata.durlej@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grzesiak
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire LE12 5RD, United Kingdom; King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mobasheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szoltys
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051402:Aquaporin 5 / Q000378:metabolism*; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D009928:Organ Specificity; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology; D010060:Ovulation; D021381:Protein Transport; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: C496040:Aqp5 protein, rat; D051402:Aquaporin 5
keywords: Aquaporin 5; Cumulus-oocyte complex; Follicle; Ovary; Rat