Human Reproduction, Vol. 15, No. 11, 2306-2318,
November 2000
© 2000 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
The vascular character of ovarian follicular granulosa cells: phenotypic and functional evidence for an endothelial-like cell population
1 Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 and 2 Colorado Reproductive Endocrinology, Rose Medical Center, Denver,CO 80302, USA
Ovarian follicular granulosa cells express temporally and spatially distinct functions throughout the follicle cycle. During the entire cycle, granulosa cells exhibit an unusually broad range of activities including the secretion of steroid hormones, enzymes, growth factors and cytokines. To date, the identity(ies) of these cells (lineage/cell type) remains unknown. We demonstrate expression of the Tie, Tek, cKit, Flt-1, CD-31 and vWF proteins and the ability to rapidly internalize acetylated low density lipoprotein among mural and cumulus subpopulations of human and murine follicular granulosa cells. In addition, we provide evidence that human and murine granulosa cells can engage in tube-forming activity in vitro. To the best of our knowledge, the six phenotypic and two functional markers examined during this study, as a group, are associated only with endothelial or endothelial-like cells. In total, the findings suggest that some granulosa cells may have the potential to actively participate in the vascularization of the corpus luteum, by way of an inherent capacity which is likely to be a characteristic of their unique identity and lineage. This inherent capacity of granulosa cells to behave and respond, at least to some extent, like endothelial cells may be of possible importance in the aetiology of certain follicular pathologies.
Key words: capillary-like structures/corpus luteum/endothelial cell granulosa cells/vasculogenesis
3 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA.E-mail: antczak{at}colorado.edu
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  S. R. Soares, R. Gomez, C. Simon, J. A. Garcia-Velasco, and A. Pellicer Targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor system to prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome Hum. Reprod. Update, April 2, 2008; (2008) dmn008v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M.-M. Dolmans, B. Martinez-Madrid, E. Gadisseux, Y. Guiot, W. Y. Yuan, A. Torre, A. Camboni, A. Van Langendonckt, and J. Donnez Short-term transplantation of isolated human ovarian follicles and cortical tissue into nude mice Reproduction, August 1, 2007; 134(2): 253 - 262. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. C. Bott, R. M. McFee, D. T. Clopton, C. Toombs, and A. S. Cupp Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Kinase Domain Region Receptor Are Involved in Both Seminiferous Cord Formation and Vascular Development During Testis Morphogenesis in the Rat Biol Reprod, July 1, 2006; 75(1): 56 - 67. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Greenaway, K. Connor, H. G. Pedersen, B. L. Coomber, J. LaMarre, and J. Petrik Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Receptor, Flk-1/KDR, Are Cytoprotective in the Extravascular Compartment of the Ovarian Follicle Endocrinology, June 1, 2004; 145(6): 2896 - 2905. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. Gomez, C. Simon, J. Remohi, and A. Pellicer Administration of Moderate and High Doses of Gonadotropins to Female Rats Increases Ovarian Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) and VEGF Receptor-2 Expression that Is Associated to Vascular Hyperpermeability Biol Reprod, June 1, 2003; 68(6): 2164 - 2171. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. J. Petrik, P. A. Gentry, J.-J. Feige, and J. LaMarre Expression and Localization of Thrombospondin-1 and -2 and Their Cell-Surface Receptor, CD36, During Rat Follicular Development and Formation of the Corpus Luteum Biol Reprod, November 1, 2002; 67(5): 1522 - 1531. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|