Biology of Reproduction, Vol 14, 233-245, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Factors Which Influence Ovulatory Degradation of Rabbit Ovarian Follicles

¹ Department of Environmental Studies, Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas 78284

Ovarian follicles contain at least two "collagenolytic" enzymes that can be detected by an assay in which follicular tissue is cultured on gels composed of reconstituted collagen. One enzyme is most active at pH 5.5 (with a range of 4.0-6.8), and is detectable within 10-15 h after tissue incubation. The other enzyme is active at physiological pH (7.0-7.8), but requires approximately 30 h of incubation before the collagen gels begin to exhibit digestion. Both enzymes are present in appreciable amounts in mature Graafian follicles. They are inhibited by EDTA, alpha₂-macroglobulin, fetal calf serum, rabbit serum, and high concentrations of ascorbic acid. Chloroquine inhibits the activity at pH 7.4, but does not affect the enzyme that is active at pH 5.5. Neither enzyme is distinctly inhibited by cysteine, trypsin inhibitor (Kunitz), ceruloplasmin, indomethacin, or alpha₁-antitrypsin. In consideration of various ovarian factors which may influence the expression of this collagenolytic activity, it is concluded that these enzymes could be active in the digestion of the follicle wall during ovulation.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We are thankful to Dr. Andrew G. Cowles for his generous donation of the electron microscope and other facilities essential to the conduct of this study. This research was supported by NIH Grant HD-06371.

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