Progesterone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone interact and promote goat preantral follicles survival and development in vitro

Lima-Verde I. B., Matos M. H. T., Celestino J.J.H., Rossetto R., Name K.P.O., Bao S.N., Campello C.C. & Figueiredo J.R. 2012. Progesterone and Follicle Stimulating Hormone interact and promote goat preantral follicles survival and development in vitro. Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(4): 361-367. Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Ciencias Veterinarias, Laboratorio de Manipulacao de Oocitos e Foliculos Pre-Antrais, Universidade Estadual do Ceara, Av. Paranjana 1700, Campus do Itaperi, Fortaleza, CE 60740-000, Brazil. E-mail: isabel_limaverde@yahoo.com.br We investigated the effects of progesterone and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) on survival and growth of caprine preantral follicles. Pieces of ovarian tissue were cultured for 1 or 7 days in minimum essential medium (MEM) alone or containing progesterone (1, 2.5, 5, 10 or 20ng/mL), FSH (50ng/mL) or the interaction between progesterone and FSH. Fresh (non-cultured control) and cultured ovarian tissues were processed for histological and ultrastructural studies. After 7 days the addition of FSH to all progesterone concentrations maintained the percentage of normal follicles similar to fresh control. At day 7 of culture, a higher percentage of developing follicles was observed only in 2.5ng/ml of progesterone associated with FSH or 10ng/ml of progesterone alone when compared with control. From day 1 to day 7 of culture, a significant increase in the percentage of developing follicles was observed in MEM and 2.5ng/ml of progesterone + FSH. In addition, after 7 days, in all treatments, there was a significant increase in follicular diameter when compared with control, except for MEM alone and in 5ng/ml of progesterone + FSH or 10ng/ml of progesterone alone. Ultrastructural studies confirmed follicular integrity after 7 days of culture in 2.5ng/ml of progesterone with FSH. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the interaction between progesterone and FSH maintains ultrastructural integrity, stimulates primordial follicles activation and further growth of cultured caprine preantral follicles.