This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary Data All Versions of this Article: 136/2/211    most recent REP-07-0312v1 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 Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Bonnet, A Articles by Tosser-Klopp, G Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Bonnet, A Articles by Tosser-Klopp, G

In vivo gene expression in granulosa cells during pig terminal follicular development

INRA, UMR 444, Génétique Cellulaire, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex, France¹ INRA, UR, Station d'Amélioration Génétique des Animaux, F-31326 Castanet-Tolosan Cedex, France² INRA, UMR6175, Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, Université de Tours, Haras Nationaux, F-37380 Nouzilly, France³ Université Paul Sabatier, UMR 5219, Institut de Mathématiques, F-31062 Toulouse Cedex 9, France⁴ INRA, UMR INRA/AgroCampus Rennes: Systèmes d'Elevage, Nutrition Animale et Humaine, F-35590 Saint Gilles, France

Correspondence should be addressed to A Bonnet; Email: agnes.bonnet{at}toulouse.inra.fr

Ovarian antral follicular development is clearly dependent on pituitary gonadotrophins FSH and LH. Although the endocrine mechanism that controls ovarian folliculogenesis leading to ovulation is quite well understood, the detailed mechanisms and molecular determinants in the different follicular compartments remain to be clarified. The aim of this study was to identify the genes differentially expressed in pig granulosa cells along the terminal ovarian follicle growth, to gain a comprehensive view of these molecular mechanisms. First, we developed a specific micro-array using cDNAs from suppression subtractive hybridization libraries (345 contigs) obtained by comparison of three follicle size classes: small, medium and large antral healthy follicles. In a second step, a transcriptomic analysis using cDNA probes from these three follicle classes identified 79 differentially expressed transcripts along the terminal follicular growth and 26 predictive genes of size classes. The differential expression of 18 genes has been controlled using real-time PCR experiments validating the micro-array analysis. Finally, the integration of the data using Ingenuity Pathways Analysis identified five gene networks providing descriptive elements of the terminal follicular development. Specifically, we observed: (1) the down-expression of ribosomal protein genes, (2) the genes involved in lipid metabolism and (3) the down-expression of cell morphology and ion-binding genes. In conclusion, this study gives new insight into the gene expression during pig terminal follicular growth in vivo and suggested, in particular, a morphological change in pig granulosa cells accompanying terminal follicular growth.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. A. LaVoie and S. R. King Transcriptional Regulation of Steroidogenic Genes: STARD1, CYP11A1 and HSD3B Exp Biol Med, August 1, 2009; 234(8): 880 - 907. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]