Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T20:05:24.135Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 10 - Molecular aspects of follicular development

from Section 3 - Reproductive biology and cryobiology

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2011

Jacques Donnez
Affiliation:
Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium
S. Samuel Kim
Affiliation:
University of Kansas
Get access

Summary

The follicle has a fundamental reproductive role in the ovary. Follicle growth takes 85 days in humans and most follicles become artistic at some stage with the oocyte continuing to play a critical role in follicular control and the regulation of oogenesis, ovulation rate and fecundity. The first primordial follicle in human foetuses is formed at 15-22 week gestation, at which point oocytes are enclosed by a single layer of pre-granulosa cells. Upon activation of primordial follicles, progression from the primary to secondary stage of follicular development requires further oocyte expansion, granulosa cell (GC) proliferation and investment of a luteinizing hormone (LH)-responsive theca cell layer. The pre-antral follicle continues its development and becomes increasingly follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) responsive. Follicular antrum formation and antral expansion are absolutely dependent on FSH. Luteinizing hormone appears to play a major role in mediating the final phase of follicular development.
Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×