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Review
. 2014 Aug 13:12:78.
doi: 10.1186/1477-7827-12-78.

In vitro culture of bovine preantral follicles: a review

Valdevane R Araújo, Melba O Gastal, José R Figueiredo, Eduardo L Gastal  1
Affiliations
Review

In vitro culture of bovine preantral follicles: a review

Valdevane R Araújo et al. Reprod Biol Endocrinol. .

Abstract

Preantral follicles are the majority of the ovarian follicle population and their use as a source of homogeneous oocytes for bovine reproductive biotechnologies could result in a substantial advance in this field. However, while in other species embryos and offspring have been produced, in bovine species the results have been limited to the follicular activation of small (primordial) preantral follicles and formation of early antral follicles from large (secondary) preantral follicles after in vitro culture. Therefore, this review will highlight the basic aspects of bovine folliculogenesis by focusing on preantral follicles, the methods of harvesting preantral follicles, the main results from in vitro follicular culture during the last 20 years, and the potential candidate substances (basic supplements, growth factors, and hormones) for improving the efficiency of in vitro follicle growth.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic sequence of complete follicular development. Preantral phase: Formation and beginning of growth and activation of primordial follicles and growth of primary and secondary follicles. Antral phase: formation of tertiary follicle (antral-filled follicular fluid cavity). Follicle growth continues through the phases of recruitment, selection, dominance, and preovulatory stage of follicular waves. Oogonia develop from a primordial germ cell and differentiates into an oocyte in the ovary. Primordial follicle has a single layer of flattened granulosa cells. Primary follicle has a single layer of cuboidal granulosa cells. Secondary follicle has two or more layers of cuboidal granulosa cells and a small number of theca cells. All the preantral follicles have a primary oocyte. Tertiary follicle has several granulosa cell layers, theca cells, and primary oocyte and is characterized by an antral cavity which contains follicular fluid. Preovulatory or also called as Graafian follicle is the last stage of follicle development; these follicles are larger, have more antral fluid and may contain a secondary oocyte. Follicular fluid is a plasma exudate conditioned by secretory products from the granulosa cells and oocyte.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Isolated follicles by tissue chopper and microdissection, and in situ follicles. Isolated follicles (A) by tissue chopper and microdissection, and (B) in situ follicles stained with PAS-hematoxylin. o: oocyte; n: oocyte nucleus; fgc: flattened granulosa cells; cgc: cuboidal granulosa cells; tc: theca cells; zp: zona pellucida. A large secondary follicle and an antral follicle grown in vitro and isolated by microdissection are shown (A).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic representation of the two- and three-dimensional culture systems. Schematic representation of the (A) two- and (B) three-dimensional culture systems utilized for bovine preantral follicles.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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