FIG. 4.

Western blot analysis examining the presence of hepsin in the rat ovary. Extracts of whole ovaries or granulosa cell conditioned media were subjected to Western blot analysis for hepsin. Hepsin was present as a peptide of molecular weight approximately 45 kDa and a fragment of approximately 29 kDa, representing the cleaved extracellular domain in both whole ovaries (A) and granulosa cell conditioned media (B, control). B) Inhibition of gelatinolytic activity increased the 29-kDa hepsin fragment in granulosa cell conditioned media. Granulosa cells were cultured for 24 h in the presence of 1–2 IU hCG and 100 μM MMP2/9 inhibitor (I, inhibitor) or DMSO vehicle (C, control); n = 3 separate, independent experiments.