title: Expression of Folliculogenesis-Related Genes in Vitrified Human Ovarian Tissue after Two WeeksIn VitroCulture.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to evaluate the effects of vitrification andin vitroculture of human ovarian tissue on the expression of oocytic and follicular cell-related genes.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, ovarian tissue samples were obtained from eight transsexual women. Samples were cut into small fragments and were then assigned to vitrified and non-vitrified groups. In each group, some tissue fragments were divided into un-cultured and cultured (in α-MEM medium for 2 weeks) subgroups. The normality of follicles was assessed by morphological observation under a light microscope using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Expression levels of factor in the germ line alpha (FIGLA), KIT ligand (KL), growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) and follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genes were quantified in both groups by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) at the beginning and the end of culture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of normal follicles was similar between non-cultured vitrified and non-vitrified groups (P>0.05), however, cultured tissues had significantly fewer normal follicles than non-cultured tissues in both vitrified and non-vitrified groups (P<0.05). In both cultured groups the rate of primary and secondary follicles was significantly higher than non-cultured tissues (P<0.05). The expression of all examined genes was not significantly altered in both non-cultured groups. Whiles, in comparison with cultured tissues non-cultured tissues, the expression ofFIGLAgene was significantly decreased,KLgene was not changed,GDF-9andFSHRgenes was significantly increased (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Human ovarian vitrification followingin vitroculture has no impairing effects on follicle normality and development and expression of related-genes. However,in vitroculture condition has deleterious effects on normality of follicles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shams Mofarahe
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojdeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehnia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Marefat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghaffari Novin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Nassim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ghorbanmehr
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Gholami
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fesharaki
keywords: Folliculogenesis; Genes Expression; Human; Ovarian Follicles; Vitrification