title: Effect of Fibroblast Co-culture on In Vitro Maturation and Fertilization of Mouse Preantral Follicles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate fibroblast co-culture on in vitro maturation and fertilization of prepubertal mouse preantral follicles.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ovaries of 12-14 day old mice were dissected and 120-150 μm intact preantral follicles with one or two layers of granulosa cells, and round oocytes were cultured individually in α-minimal essential medium (α-MEM) supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 100 mIU/ml recombinant follicle stimulating hormone, 1% insulin, transferrin, selenium mix, 100 μg/ml penicillin and 50 μg/ml streptomycin as base medium for 12 days. A total number of 226 follicules were cultured under two conditions: i) base medium as control group (n=113); ii) base medium co-cultured with mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) (n=113). Follicular diameters, alone, in addition to other factors were analyzed by student's t-test and chi-square test, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The co-culture group showed significant differences (p<0.05) in growth rate (days 4, 6 and 8 of the culture period) and survival rate. However, there was no significant difference in antrum formation, ovulation rate and embryonic development of released oocytes. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in the estradiol and progesterone secretion at all days between the co-culture and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fibroblast co-culture increased survival rate and steroid production of preantral follicles by promoting granulosa cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Molecular Cell Biology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Abbasali Karimpour
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Malekshah
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Kazem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parivar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Qaemshahr Branch, Islamic Azad University, Qaemshahr, Iran.
authors.forename: Ramezan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Khanbabaei
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Biology Research Center, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Science, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rafiei
keywords: Co-Culture; Fibroblast; Follicle; In Vitro Maturation; Preantral