TY - JOUR
T1 - Tyrosine kinase B receptor and its activated neurotrophins in ovaries from human fetuses and adults
AU - Harel, S.
AU - Jin, S.
AU - Fisch, B.
AU - Feldberg, D.
AU - Krissi, H.
AU - Felz, C.
AU - Freimann, S.
AU - Tan, S. L.
AU - Ao, A.
AU - Abir, Ronita
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was partially supported by a research grant from the Israel Cancer Association (R.A., B.F.). The authors are indebted to Dr G. Kessler-Icekson from Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Petach Tikva and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University for her assistance with the RNA extraction. We are also grateful to Ms G. Ganzach from the Editorial Board of Rabin Medical Center for the English editing, to the staff at the Gynaecology Ward for their help in locating suitable patients and to the Ultrasound Unit for identifying fetal gender.
PY - 2006/6
Y1 - 2006/6
N2 - The signals initiating the growth of primordial follicles are unknown. Growth factors such as neurotrophin 4/5 (NT-4/5) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play a role in this process. To investigate the expression of NT-4/5 and BDNF and their receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) in the early developing follicles, we fixed and froze 12 ovarian samples from adolescents/adults and 31 ovaries from human fetuses. The fixed samples were prepared for immunohistochemical staining for NT-4/5, BDNF and the TrkB receptor. Total RNA was extracted from the frozen ovarian samples, and the expression of NT-4/5, BDNF and the TrkB receptor (full length and two truncated isoforms) was investigated by RT-PCR. Products were resolved by 1% agarose gel electrophoresis and image analysis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the expression of NT-4/5 and BDNF mainly in oocytes and, in a minority of samples, also in the granulosa cells (GCs); TrkB receptor was identified in oocytes and GCs. Transcripts of NT-4/5, BDNF and all forms of TrkB receptor were identified in the samples. To elucidate whether indeed NT-4/5 and BDNF are involved in growth initiation of human primordial follicles, they should be added to the culture medium.
AB - The signals initiating the growth of primordial follicles are unknown. Growth factors such as neurotrophin 4/5 (NT-4/5) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may play a role in this process. To investigate the expression of NT-4/5 and BDNF and their receptor tyrosine kinase B (TrkB) in the early developing follicles, we fixed and froze 12 ovarian samples from adolescents/adults and 31 ovaries from human fetuses. The fixed samples were prepared for immunohistochemical staining for NT-4/5, BDNF and the TrkB receptor. Total RNA was extracted from the frozen ovarian samples, and the expression of NT-4/5, BDNF and the TrkB receptor (full length and two truncated isoforms) was investigated by RT-PCR. Products were resolved by 1% agarose gel electrophoresis and image analysis. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the expression of NT-4/5 and BDNF mainly in oocytes and, in a minority of samples, also in the granulosa cells (GCs); TrkB receptor was identified in oocytes and GCs. Transcripts of NT-4/5, BDNF and all forms of TrkB receptor were identified in the samples. To elucidate whether indeed NT-4/5 and BDNF are involved in growth initiation of human primordial follicles, they should be added to the culture medium.
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Neurotrophins
KW - Primordial follicles
KW - RT-PCR
KW - TrkB receptor
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33745592499&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/molehr/gal033
DO - 10.1093/molehr/gal033
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AN - SCOPUS:33745592499
SN - 1360-9947
VL - 12
SP - 357
EP - 365
JO - Molecular Human Reproduction
JF - Molecular Human Reproduction
IS - 6
ER -