title: The effects of fibroblast co-culture and activin A on in vitro growth of mouse preantral follicles.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate fibroblast co-culture and Activin A on in vitro maturation and fertilization of mouse preantral follicles.
  
  
  
  The ovaries from 12-14-day-old mice were dissected, and 120-150 μm preantral follicles were cultured individually in α-MEM as based medium for 12 days. A total number of 456 follicles were cultured in four conditions: (i) base medium as control group (n = 113), (ii) base medium supplemented with 30 ng/ml Activin A (n = 115), (iii) base medium co-cultured with mouse embryonic fibroblast (n = 113), and (iv) base medium supplemented with 30 ng/ml Activin A and co-cultured with fibroblast (n = 115). Rate of growth, survivability, antrum formation, ovulation, embryonic development and steroid production were evaluated. Analysis of Variance and Duncan test were applied for analyzing.
  
  
  
  Both co-culture and co-culture + Activin A groups showed significant difference (P<0.05) in growth (on days 4, 6, and 8 of culture period) and survival rates. However, there was no significant difference in antrum formation, ovulation rate, and embryonic development of ovulated oocytes. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the estradiol production on days 8, 10, and 12 between co-culture + Activin A and the control group. Progesterone production also was significant (P<0.05) in co-culture + Activin A group on days 6, 8, 10, and 12 compared to control group.
  
  
  
  Fibroblast co-culture and Activin A promoted growth and survivability of preantral follicles. However, simultaneous use of them was more efficient.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Anatomy and Embryology, Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbasali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karimpour Malekshah
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biology, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parivar
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Biology, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran.
authors.forename: Nasrin Sadat
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Azami
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D061252:Feeder Cells; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005347:Fibroblasts; D051379:Mice; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: C422405:activin A; D028341:Activins; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Fibroblast; Activin A; Follicle