This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 90/1/516    most recent Author Manuscript (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Shirota, K. Articles by Kawarabayashi, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Shirota, K. Articles by Kawarabayashi, T. Related Collections Female Endocrinology

Early Human Preantral Follicles Have Relaxin and Relaxin Receptor (LGR7), and Relaxin Promotes Their Development

Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology (K.S., T.H., T.Ka.) and Biochemistry (K.T., M.K.), Fukuoka University School of Medicine, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan; and Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine (T.Ko., Y.H.), Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Kayoko Tateishi, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry, Fukuoka University of Medicine, 7-45-1, Nanakuma, Jonan-ku, Fukuoka 814-0180, Japan. E-mail: tateishi{at}fukuoka-u.ac.jp.

The regulatory mechanisms of early follicle development are not clearly understood. Although relaxin is a peptide that controls cell proliferation and differentiation in many tissues, its role in human follicular development is unclear. In this study we cultured slices of human ovarian cortical tissue in the presence and absence of recombinant human relaxin. Ovarian tissue was obtained by biopsy during gynecological laparotomy or laparoscopy (14 women; mean age ± SEM, 29.0 ± 6.1 yr; range, 17–37 yr). A significantly higher proportion of secondary follicles (14.5% vs. 5.0% in the control group; P < 0.01) and a significantly decreased proportion of primordial follicles (30.1% vs. 47.4% in the control group; P < 0.05) were found in tissues cultured with relaxin for 7 d. Immunocytochemical studies with the anti-C-peptide of prorelaxin and antirelaxin antibodies revealed the localization of relaxin in the oocyte and in flat pregranulosa and granulosa cells of primordial, primary, and secondary follicles. The presence of the relaxin receptor LGR7 was observed in flat pregranulosa and granulosa cells of primordial, primary, and secondary follicles by immunocytochemical and in situ hybridization analyses. These results suggest that relaxin plays a role through its receptor during the early stage of follicle development.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. L. Halls, R. A. D. Bathgate, and R. J. Summers Comparison of Signaling Pathways Activated by the Relaxin Family Peptide Receptors, RXFP1 and RXFP2, Using Reporter Genes J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., January 1, 2007; 320(1): 281 - 290. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Ulziibat, K. Ejima, Y. Shibata, Y. Hishikawa, M. Kitajima, A. Fujishita, T. Ishimaru, and T. Koji Identification of estrogen receptor beta-positive intraepithelial lymphocytes and their possible roles in normal and tubal pregnancy oviducts Hum. Reprod., September 1, 2006; 21(9): 2281 - 2289. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]