Expression Pattern of Messenger Ribonucleic Acid for Follistatin and the Inhibin/Activin Subunits during Follicular and Testicular Development in Gallus domesticus¹

^a Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853

The expression of mRNA for follistatin and the inhibin/activin subunits was investigated in the follicles of laying hens and the testes of immature and mature roosters. Total RNA was isolated from immature and mature testes and from individual granulosa layers of the F₁ through F₅ follicles, from a pool of the F₆-F₈ follicles, from the small yellow follicles, and from the combined granulosa and theca layers of the large white follicles. Northern blot analysis was performed, and a follistatin mRNA transcript of approximately 2.4 kilobases (kb) was detected in immature testes and in the following follicles: F₅, the pool of F₆-F₈, and small yellow and large white follicles. The greatest expression of follistatin occurred in the small yellow follicles, and in this tissue two minor transcripts of approximately 1.7 and 3.7 kb were also detected. The inhibin subunit was expressed in both testes samples and in all of the follicles except the large white follicles. Expression of the subunit was greatest in the F₅ follicle, and expression decreased with follicle maturity. As previously reported, the inhibin/activin ß_A subunit was found in the greatest abundance in the F₁ follicle, with lesser amounts detected in the other hierarchical follicles and immature testes. In contrast to the ß_A subunit, the inhibin/activin ß_B subunit was not detected in the four largest hierarchical follicles but was expressed in greatest abundance in the pool of F₆-F₈ and small yellow follicles. This represents the first report, to our knowledge, of the detection of follistatin mRNA in the hen ovary and rooster testes. The restriction of follistatin mRNA expression to the small follicles suggests that follistatin, by regulating activin and/or inhibin availability, may play a critical role in early follicular development.

¹ Supported by USDA #94–37203–0791 and #97–35203–4979.

² Correspondence: Patricia Johnson, 202 Morrison Hall, Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853. FAX: (607) 255–9829; paj1{at}cornell.edu

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