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. 2004 Aug;21(8):301–306. doi: 10.1023/B:JARG.0000043704.10845.87

In Vitro Effect of Cyclic Adenosine 3′, 5′-Monophosphate (cAMP) on Early Human Ovarian Follicles

Pu Zhang 1, Henna Louhio 2, Timo Tuuri 2, Jari Sjöberg 1, Julius Hreinsson 1, Evelyn E Telfer 3, Outi Hovatta 1
PMCID: PMC3455439  PMID: 15568331

Abstract

Purpose: To test the effect of cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′-monophosphate (cAMP) on early human ovarian follicles during prolonged culture period.

Methods: Donated ovarian biopsies from 16 women undergoing gynecological laparoscopy were cut into slices and cultured in parallel for 1, 2, or 3 weeks in the presence and the absence of 0.5 mM 8-bromo-cAMP. The developmental stages, sizes, and viability of the follicles were recorded from histological sections of all samples.

Results: On day 14, cortical slices cultured with 8-bromo-cAMP showed a significantly higher proportion of secondary follicles (50.0% vs. 20.0%) and a lower proportion of primordial follicles (9.7% vs. 26.7%) when compared with those cultured without 8-bromo-cAMP. On day 21, the proportion of viable follicles in cortical slices with 8-bromo-cAMP treatment was significantly higher than that without 8-bromo-cAMP treatment (79.6% vs. 55.2%).

Conclusion: CyclicAMP promoted folliculogenesis and follicle survival during 14–21 days' culture of human ovarian cortical slices.

Keywords: cAMP, human, organ culture, ovarian follicles

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