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 Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by RYLE, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by RYLE, M.

THE GROWTH IN VITRO OF MOUSE OVARIAN FOLLICLES OF DIFFERENT SIZES IN RESPONSE TO PURIFIED GONADOTROPHINS

Summary.: Ovaries of infantile mice were cultured in vitro with no hormone, LH or FSH for 2 or 5 days, [³H] thymidine being present in the medium for the last 24 hr of culture. Each ovary was serially sectioned and autoradiographs were prepared. The effects of the treatments on follicle numbers and on the extent to which they were labelled were examined in groups of follicles of different sizes. Growth was stimulated by FSH in follicles of all sizes both on Day 2 and Day 5, but LH did not stimulate growth in primordial follicles and had relatively little effect on one- and two-cell layer follicles. It greatly accelerated growth in some with three- and four-cell layers on Day 5, but not on Day 2. It also appeared to stimulate mitosis in the theca interna whereas FSH appeared to diminish it. A few follicles grew rapidly on Day 5 in the absence of any hormone. Spindle formation in oocytes was associated with rapid follicle growth but not with hormone treatment. Possible explanations of the delayed effect of LH are discussed.