Endocrine Abstracts

Kit ligand (KL)-c-kit interaction is critical for oogenesis and folliculogenesis in the ovary. However, the significance of KL-c-kit loop in ovarian steroidogenesis has yet to be elucidated. We here investigated the impact of KL-c-kit interaction in regulation of steroidogenesis using rat primary granulosa cells co-cultured with oocytes. Treatment with soluble KL suppressed FSH-induced estradiol production and aromatase mRNA expression without changing FSH-induced progesterone...

Here, we investigated roles of p38 MAPK pathway in the regulation of FSH-induced steroidogenesis using co-culture of rat primary granulosa cells with oocytes. The p38 protein was readily phosphorylated in granulosa cells by treatment with activin and FSH. The activin effect on p38 phosphorylation was abolished by a selective ALK-4, -5, -7 inhibitor SB431542. SB431542 suppressed FSH-induced estradiol production, but had no effect on progesterone production with a marginal reduc...