title: Ovarian follicle development in vitro and oocyte competence: advances and challenges for farm animals.
abstract: During the last 2 decades, research on in vitro preantral follicle growth and oocyte maturation has delivered fascinating advances concerning the knowledge of processes regulating follicle growth and the developmental competence of oocytes. These advances include (1) information about the role of several hormones and growth factors on in vitro activation of primordial follicles; (2) increased understanding of the intracellular pathway involved in the initiation of primordial follicle growth; (3) the growth of primary and secondary follicles up to antral stages; and (4) production of embryos from oocytes from in vitro grown preantral follicles. This review article describes these advances, especially in regard farm animals, and discusses the reasons that limit embryo production from oocytes derived from preantral follicles cultured in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Nucleus of Sobral, Federal University of Ceara, Sobral, CE 62042-280, Brazil. Electronic address: jrvsilva@ufc.br.
authors.forename: J R V
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht 80151, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van den Hurk
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceara, Fortaleza, CE 62700-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D058751:Livestock; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Growth factor; Hormone; In vitro culture; Oocyte; Preantral follicle