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DEVELOPMENT AND FATE OF PORCINE GRAAFIAN FOLLICLES IDENTIFIED AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE OESTROUS CYCLE

School of Agriculture, and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Edinburgh

(Received 14th October 1974)

The concept that the oocyte plays a significant rôle in the regulation of follicular development in mammals is by no means new (Wilson, 1925), although the subsequent discovery of gonadotrophic hormones and their influence on the control of the Graafian follicle moved emphasis away from the notion of local interrelationships between the germinal and somatic components of the follicle. The concept has recently been reinvestigated (El-Fouly, Cook, Nekola & Nalbandov, 1970) by the technique of 'ovectomy' (microsurgical removal of the oocyte from a Graafian follicle in vivo). These authors proposed that retention of the oocyte within the follicle inhibits luteinization of granulosa cells, whereas release of the oocyte by aspiration (or at ovulation) removes the local inhibition to luteal cell formation. While these observations excite considerable interest, a further series of experiments would seem