2001 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Atretic mechanism of ovarian follicles in mice: a morphological study
| Project/Area Number |
12670003
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
General anatomy (including Histology/Embryology)
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| Research Institution | Yamagata University |
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Principal Investigator |
WATANABE Hiroshi Yamagata Univ. Sch. of Med., Professor, 医学部, 教授 (80004662)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2000 – 2001
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| Keywords | ovary / atresia / apoptosis / oocyte / mouse / follicular epithelial cells / ampulla |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to clarify the atretic mechanism in the mouse ovarian follicles. Special attention has been paid to the involvement of macrophages in the atresia by a complete serial semi-thin section, TEM and immuno-histochemical techniques.
In the atretic follicles, apoptotic cells appeared more frequently, and were phagocytosed by neighboring healthy granulosa cells. The apoptotic and phagocytotic mechanism of granulosa cells may eventually eliminate the atretic follicles.
To confirm the lack of involvement of macrophages in the process of follicular atresia and elimination, specially prepared ovarian cryosections were incubated with antimouse macrophage monoclonal antibodies. Atretic follicles may shrink and eventually disappear from the ovary as a result of repeated apoptosis and phagocytosis by granulosa cells.
Oocytes in the atretic follicles seemed to be phagocytosed by cells which invaded the zona pellucida. These invading cells showed similar morphological features to the granulosa cells. Gap junctions were frequently formed between these invading cells. These findings indicate that the oocytes in atretic follicles may be phagocytosed by granulosa cells.
Taken together all these findings, there is no evidence for the presence or involvement of macrophages in the atretic follicles, at least in mice as examined.
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Research Products
(8 results)
