This study aims to investigate the effects of jacalin and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on activation and survival of goat primordial follicles, as well as on gene expression in cultured ovarian tissue. Ovarian fragments were cultured for 6 days in minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with jacalin (10, 25, 50 or 100 μg/ml – Experiment 1) or in MEM supplemented with jacalin (50 μg/ml), FSH (50 ng/ml) or both (Experiment 2). Non-cultured and cultured tissues were processed for histological and ultrastructural analysis. Cultured tissues from Experiment 2 were also stored to evaluate the expression of BMP-15, KL (Kit ligand), c-kit, GDF-9 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results of Experiment 1 showed that, compared with tissue that was cultured in control medium, the presence of 50 μg/ml of jacalin increased both the percentages of developing follicles and viability. In Experiment 2, after 6 days, higher percentages of normal follicles were observed in tissue cultured in presence of FSH, jacalin or both, but no synergistic interaction between FSH and jacalin was observed. These substances had no significant effect on the levels of mRNA for BMP-15 and KL, but FSH increased significantly the levels of mRNA for PCNA and c-kit. On the other hand, jacalin reduced the levels of mRNA for GDF-9. In conclusion, jacalin and FSH are able to improve primordial follicle activation and survival after 6 days of culture. Furthermore, presence of FSH increases the expression of mRNA for PCNA and c-kit, but jacalin resulted in lower GDF-9 mRNA expression.

We previously demonstrated that the development of cultured rat pre-antral follicles is stimulated by growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and that the mRNA of IGF-I and type I IGF receptor (IGFR) is present in the oocyte and wall of these follicles. To gain a closer insight into the regulation of early folliculogenesis by GH and IGF-I, the present study investigated the gene expression of GH and GHR mRNA in isolated oocytes and follicular wall cells of pre-antral follicles, using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, and the localisation of immunoreactive IGF-I, IGFR, GH and GHR proteins in ovarian sections of 10-day-old rats. GH was detected in oocytes and follicular wall tissue of pre-antral follicles, whereas expression of the GH mRNA was absent. The GHR mRNA was present in follicular wall tissue and not in the oocyte, while positive immunostaining for GHR was observed in all cells of the pre-antral follicles. Immunoreactive IGF-I and IGFR was also visible in the pre-antral follicles, especially in the oocytes. In conclusion, the data show that the previously demonstrated local gene expression of IGF-I and IGFR in oocytes and their enveloping follicular cells also leads to translation, which points to the involvement of intrafollicular IGF-I in early follicular development. The presence of the GHR mRNA and the GHR and GH proteins in pre-antral follicles in the absence of ovarian GH mRNA suggest a direct effect of systemic GH on early follicular development.