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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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Department of Cellular and Development Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo (USP),
Department of Nursing and
Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Sciences Faculty, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil
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the level of the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway in the ovary of non-pregnant rats ( Carvalho et al. 2003 ). In addition, it is well established that both insulin resistance and consequent hyperinsulinemia have an important role in the pathogenesis of
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Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, Texas, USA
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Department of Obstetrics, The Second Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China
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Introduction Cholesterol serves many essential functions systemically and within cells. This is especially true for the ovary, in which the somatic cells of the developing follicle, under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and
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Introduction Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age and the most common form of hyperandrogenism ( Carmina et al . 2006 ). It has a worldwide prevalence of 5–10% ( Diamanti-Kandarakis et
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receptor (Ob-R) has been detected in various tissues of the reproductive axis such as pituitary gonadotrope cells ( Jin et al. 2000 ); granulosa, theca and interstitial ovary cells ( Karlsson et al. 1997 ); endometrium ( Kitawaki et al. 2000 ) and
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the mature mouse ovary ( Jefferson et al . 2002 ). During neonatal ovary development, genistein-treated mice had significantly more oocytes still in cysts compared with control mice ( Jefferson et al . 2006 ). These results support the idea that MOFs
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SUMMARY
The ovaries of rats and mice ranging in age from foetal life to sexual maturity have been cultured and observed in vitro. Structures which had some resemblance to oocytes were seen among the epithelial cells which grew out from the ovarian tissue, but it is concluded that they were not oocytes. No evidence for the neoformation of oocytes was obtained.
Serial sections of ovaries, which had been fixed after various periods of culture, were examined for signs of oogenesis. Numerous oocytes in the prophase of cell division were seen in foetal and neonatal material, but not in cultures of adult, or even prepubertal material.
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Estrogens are synonymous with fertility and infertility in mammals. Our knowledge of the biological actions of estrogens, however, is incomplete. Three recent developments have thrown new light on the actions of estrogens in mammalian reproduction that will lead to a greater understanding of their functions. They are (a) the identification of a second estrogen receptor, called ERbeta, (b) the identification of ligand-specific ER coactivators and (c) mouse models with targeted disruption of the genes encoding both ER and the aromatase enzyme. These models provide for the first time animals which are either unable to respond to endogenous or exogenous estrogens (ER 'knockouts'), or can respond to exogenous estrogen but do not make endogenous estrogen (aromatase 'knockout' or ArKO). Furthermore, the ArKO mouse has provided a model to study the effects on the ovary of exogenous estrogens of plant and synthetic origin that are of clinical relevance. The data show that estrogens are essential for fertility but not for survival after birth or for the formation of the reproductive tract. This commentary focuses on the roles of estrogen in folliculogenesis and in the maintenance of the ovarian somatic cell phenotype in the mouse. We also hypothesize that the ERalpha and ERbeta may subserve the proliferative and differentiative actions of estrogen, respectively, within a follicle. In summary, estrogen is obligatory for normal folliculogenesis beyond the antral stage and for the maintenance of the female phenotype of the somatic cells within the ovaries. This clearly demonstrates a major role for sex steroids in somatic cell differentiation in the gonads of eutherian mammals and challenges the central paradigm that the ovary is the default gonad, arising due to the absence of testicular defining signals. Evidence is also provided for the plasticity of the adult female gonad. Understanding the mechanisms of estrogen actions will provide an insight into the regulation of reproductive disorders afflicting women today, notably ovarian dysfunction and the menopause.
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, Zhuo et al. 2001 ) revealed that the bik −/− ovaries appeared normal, because those of 4-week-old females responded normally to gonadotropin treatment, and those of the adults included follicles at all maturation stages, as well as the well defined
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). However, PGE2, a dominant prostanoid in the ovary, can reverse the inhibitory effect of aspirin-like drugs ( Wallach et al. 1978 ). Additionally, mPGES-1 is preferentially coupled with the inducible COX-2 to promote delayed PGE2 generation ( Murakami
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Introduction Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most frequent endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, with an estimated frequency of between 4 and 7% ( Lobo 2003 ), and is characterized by chronic anovulation and
