This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Smith, L. C. Articles by Price, C. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Smith, L. C. Articles by Price, C. A.

Oocyte quality in small antral follicles in the presence or absence of a large dominant follicle in cattle

The aim of these experiments was to determine whether the presence of a dominant follicle affects the developmental competence of oocytes from small antral follicles of cattle. In Expt 1, oocytes or follicular fluid samples were collected from follicles 2–7 mm in diameter before (day 3 of the oestrous cycle; n = 4) or after (days 6 and 7 of the oestrous cycle; n = 6) emergence of the first wave dominant follicle (verified by rectal ultrasonography). Five to ten follicles were aspirated for the determination of individual follicular fluid concentrations of oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone and dimeric inhibin; oocytes from the remaining follicles from each cow were pooled and developmental capacity assessed by in vitro fertilization and maturation. In Expt 2, ovaries containing a young corpus luteum and with or without a large oestrogen-active follicle were collected from the abattoir. Follicular aspirates from small follicles in each pair of ovaries were pooled, and oocyte quality and steroid concentrations were determined. In Expt 1, small follicles obtained before emergence of the dominant follicle contained significantly more oestradiol than they did after emergence (19.5 ± 1.5 versus 0.7 ± 1.1 ng ml^–1, respectively; P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in concentrations of progesterone, testosterone or dimeric inhibin. The percentage of blastocysts obtained from oocytes collected before (12.1 ± 9.0) or after emergence (11.8 ± 7.0) of the dominant follicle did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). In Expt 2, follicular steroid concentrations did not differ in small follicles taken in the presence versus the absence of a large oestrogen-active follicle, and there were no differences in the developmental capacity of the oocytes. There were significant negative correlations between follicular oestradiol concentration and the percentage of blastocysts formed from two-cell (r = –0.90; P < 0.01) and eight-cell embryos (r = –0.65; P < 0.05). These data suggest that in cattle the developmental competence of oocytes from small antral follicles is not adversely affected by the presence of a dominant follicle.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J Buratini Jr., M.G.L Pinto, A.C Castilho, R.L Amorim, I.C Giometti, V.M Portela, E.S Nicola, and C.A Price Expression and Function of Fibroblast Growth Factor 10 and Its Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 2B, in Bovine Follicles Biol Reprod, October 1, 2007; 77(4): 743 - 750. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. F. Irving-Rodgers, M. Krupa, and R. J. Rodgers Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Cytochrome P450 and 3{beta}-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Expression and the Concentrations of Steroid Hormones in the Follicular Fluids of Different Phenotypes of Healthy and Atretic Bovine Ovarian Follicles Biol Reprod, December 1, 2003; 69(6): 2022 - 2028. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M.A. Beg, D.R. Bergfelt, K. Kot, M.C. Wiltbank, and O.J. Ginther Follicular-Fluid Factors and Granulosa-Cell Gene Expression Associated with Follicle Deviation in Cattle Biol Reprod, February 1, 2001; 64(2): 432 - 441. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				J. Manuel Silva and C. A. Price Effect of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone on Steroid Secretion and Messenger Ribonucleic Acids Encoding Cytochromes P450 Aromatase and Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage in Bovine Granulosa Cells In Vitro Biol Reprod, January 1, 2000; 62(1): 186 - 191. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				A. L. Mikkelsen, S. D. Smith, and S. Lindenberg In-vitro maturation of human oocytes from regularly menstruating women may be successful without follicle stimulating hormone priming Hum. Reprod., July 1, 1999; 14(7): 1847 - 1851. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. R. Gibbons, M. C. Wiltbank, and O.J. Ginther Relationship between Follicular Development and the Decline in the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Surge in Heifers Biol Reprod, January 1, 1999; 60(1): 72 - 77. [Abstract] [Full Text]