Figure 4.

Supplementation of DHEA inhibited ovulation via obstructing cumulus expansion. (A) The representative micrograph of follicles, ovulated COCs and oocytes after 18 h of maturation. Oocyte with first polar body extrusion was classified as mature oocyte. (B) Ovulation rate of in vitro cultured follicles, N = 3. (C) mRNA expression levels of Gdf9, Bmp15 and (D) Has2, Ptx3, Tnfaip6 and Adamts1 in follicles cultured in vitro, N = 6. Scale bar: 100 μm. Data were analyzed by two-tailed Mann–Whitney U-test or the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by Dunn’s post hoc test (B) and two-tailed Student’s t-test (C, D). All data are presented as the Mean ± SEM.