Endocrine Abstracts

There are two populations of GCs in large antral follicles: mural granulosa cells (MGCs) that line the ovarian follicle wall, and cumulus cells (CCs) closely associated with the oocyte. Among the genes expressed more highly in CCs was one encoding an amino acid transporter (Slc38a3). Slc38a3 mRNA was not detected in oocytes. Expression of Slc38a3 mRNA was reduced in the CCs after removal of the oocyte and restored by co-culturing CCs with fully-grown oocyt...

Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), is a member of the TGFbeta family of growth and differentiation factors. Also known as mullerian inhibiting substance, AMH plays an essential role during male sex differentiation, where it signals the regression of the mullerian ducts.However, in the postnatal female AMH plays an important role in growth and development of ovarian follicles. In both rodents and women, AMH is expressed in primary follicles immediately after t...

In primates: (a) the midcycle surge of gonadotropins (particularly LH) is essential for ovulation and luteinization of the dominant follicle, and (b) the pulsatile release of LH during the subsequent luteal phase is required for the normal functional lifespan of the corpus luteum during the menstrual cycle. However, information on the cellular and molecular actions of LH, outside of promoting steroidogenesis, remains limited. This presentation will summarize evidence that ster...