Biology of Reproduction, Vol 45, 890-897, Copyright © 1991 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

ARTICLES

Early folliculogenesis in primate ovaries: testing the role of estrogen

MJ Koering, DR Danforth and GD Hodgen
Department of Anatomy, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia 20037.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an exogenous estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), on follicle development in the ovary of a juvenile primate. The immature cynomolgus monkey (12-22 mo) was used as a model since ovaries at this age lack endogenous gonadotropin support but are capable of responding to exogenous hormonal stimulation. In addition, the pituitary gland receives virtually no GnRH stimulation and under these conditions lacks responsiveness to estrogen feedback. Two groups of three monkeys each received DES for 14 days. Members of the second group also were given GnRH antagonist to assure no GnRH action upon the gonadotropes. The left ovary of each monkey was removed just prior to Day 1 of DES treatment and served as the control. The right ovary was removed on Day 14 of treatment. Both ovaries from each monkey were prepared for evaluation by light microscopy. Results indicated that both the number of preantral follicles and the mean number of medium-sized (0.5-1 mm in diameter) developing antral follicles decreased significantly (p less than 0.05) in the DES-treated ovaries with no increase in early-atretic antral follicles. These data suggest that DES, at the amount administered, inhibits the growth of both preantral and medium-sized antral follicles in the primate. Whether these effects are manifest directly at the follicle level or are mediated by other mechanisms remains to be determined.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M.Y. Yang and J.E. Fortune Testosterone Stimulates the Primary to Secondary Follicle Transition in Bovine Follicles In Vitro Biol Reprod, December 1, 2006; 75(6): 924 - 932. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Zheng, W. Si, B. D. Bavister, J. Yang, C. Ding, and W. Ji 17{beta}-Estradiol and progesterone improve in-vitro cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes from unstimulated prepubertal and adult rhesus monkeys Hum. Reprod., October 1, 2003; 18(10): 2137 - 2144. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. R. Danforth, L. K. Arbogast, S. Ghosh, A. Dickerman, R. Rofagha, and C. I. Friedman Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Stimulates Preantral Follicle Growth in the Rat Ovary Biol Reprod, May 1, 2003; 68(5): 1736 - 1741. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. F. Palter, A. B. Tavares, A. Hourvitz, J. D. Veldhuis, and E. Y. Adashi Are Estrogens of Import to Primate/Human Ovarian Folliculogenesis? Endocr. Rev., June 1, 2001; 22(3): 389 - 424. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R.A. Cushman, J.C. DeSouza, V.S. Hedgpeth, and J.H. Britt Superovulatory Response of One Ovary Is Related to the Micro- and Macroscopic Population of Follicles in the Contralateral Ovary of the Cow Biol Reprod, February 1, 1999; 60(2): 349 - 354. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. C. J. M. Fauser and A. M. van Heusden Manipulation of Human Ovarian Function: Physiological Concepts and Clinical Consequences Endocr. Rev., February 1, 1997; 18(1): 71 - 106. [Abstract] [Full Text]