Effects of follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol upon progesterone secretion by porcine granulosa cells in tissue culture.

Abstract

Porcine granulosa cells from small (1–2 mm), medium (3–5 mm), or large (6–12 mm) follicles were exposed to highly purified human FSH (LER 1801–3) and 17β-estradiol in tissue culture. The cells were grown in TC 199 plus 4% pig serum, and progesterone secreted into the culture medium was measured by RIA. Granulosa cells obtained from follicles at all three stages of development were stimulated by FSH to secrete progesterone. The stimulation was dependent on the concentration of FSH and the stage of follicular development. In the absence of any added hormones, the granulosa cells from small, medium, or large follicles in six experiments secreted (between days 2–4) 1.5 ± 0.1, 60 ± 3, and 152 ± 5 pg of progesterone/100 cells, respectively. Addition of 0.1 μg/ml FSH led to a 553%, 292%, and 171% stimulation of progesterone secretion by cells from small, medium, and large follicles, respectively. The granulosa cells from small follicles secreted progesterone at a steady rate throughout the 12-day culture period....