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Felis catus ovary as a model to study follicle biology in vitro

  • Reproductive Physiology and Disease
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The current study was designed to evaluate the response of individual intact antral follicles from adult female domestic cats to a luteinizing hormone (LH) stimulus in vitro by assessing cumulus-oocyte expansion (C-OE) and steroid production.

Methods

C-OE and steroid levels (estradiol [E2] and progesterone [P4]) obtained from individual antral feline follicles (n = 366 follicles; n = 56 cats) were analyzed after 12 or 24 h of culture in the presence or absence of LH (low [3.4 ng/ml] or high [100 ng/ml]).

Results

At the end of the culture, the highest percentage of expanded cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) was observed in the LH groups at 12 or 24 h in comparison to their controls (p < 0.001). There was a significant increase in expanded COCs when comparing LH concentrations (high vs. low) at 12 or 24 h. Higher levels of both E2 and P4 were observed in the media from antral follicles after 12 and 24 h of culture in the presence of LH (both concentration, p < 0.05). There was no association between hormone levels and follicle diameter; high variability was observed in the steroid levels produced by antral follicles within all treatment groups.

Conclusions

These data indicate, for the first time, that feline antral follicles (0.5–2 mm) from different stages of the natural estrous cycle can be cultured and will respond to an LH stimulus, based on an increase in steroid levels as well as C-OE after 12 or 24 h in culture.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for the technical support of the Endocrine Laboratory at CEDIE “Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez”. Special thanks to Dr. Lippi, Dr. Natalia Moreno, and Olga Bustamante from the “Centro de Sanidad Animal de la Municipalidad de Merlo” (Provincia de Buenos Aires) for the donation of the feline ovaries. Recombinant human FSH and LH (Merck Serono) were generously donated for this project. We also want to thank Dr. Ignacio Bergada and the “Fundación de Endocrinología Infantil (FEI)” for supporting Julieta’s training. We are also thankful to Dr. Richard L. Stouffer for reviewing this manuscript.

This study was supported by the Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, under Award Number R01TW009163 and PRESTAMO BID PICT 2012 No. 025.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas “Dr. César Bergadá” (CEDIE), CONICET—FEI—División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Gallo 1330, CABA, Buenos Aires, C1425EFD, Argentina

    Julieta L. Rojo, Martina Linari, Mariana P. Musse & Marina C. Peluffo

Authors
  1. Julieta L. Rojo
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  2. Martina Linari
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  3. Mariana P. Musse
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  4. Marina C. Peluffo
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Correspondence to Marina C. Peluffo.

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Felis catus ovary as a model to study follicle biology in vitro.

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Supplemental Figure 1

Representative pictures of healthy antral follicles a before and b–f after dissection from the ovaries of adult cats obtained at different original magnifications (0.75×, 3×, 3.5×, and 6×). a Slides of an ovary before follicle isolation. b–d Single isolated antral follicles before culture (0 h), where COCs are easily observed c, d through some follicles of different diameters. Arrows denote the presence of blood vessels containing red blood cells. e Isolated follicle after 24 h of culture in the presence of LH. f Retrieval of an expanded COC from an antral follicle of the LH group (24 h) under the dissecting microscope. Bar represents 500 μm. (JPEG 8674 kb)

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Rojo, J.L., Linari, M., Musse, M.P. et al. Felis catus ovary as a model to study follicle biology in vitro. J Assist Reprod Genet 32, 1105–1111 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0511-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0511-5

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