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Control of ovulation rate in swine¹

The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210

² Correspondence: Dept. of Anim. Sci., The Ohio State Univ., 2027 Coffey Rd. (phone: 614-292-0714; fax: 614-292-7116; E-mail: cardenas-seijas.2{at}osu.edu).

Abstract

Follicular recruitment and atresia are important processes associated with ovulation rate in swine. Follicle-stimulating hormone regulates granulosa cell division, differentiation, and steroidogenic function, and, as such, significantly influences follicular growth and development. Follicle-stimulating hormone is an inducer of follicular recruitment in swine and an inhibitor of granulosa cell apoptosis, and it seems to be a major regulator of ovulation rate in swine. Although local factors, such as growth factors and steroid hormones, might regulate follicular development by controlling the expression of gonadotropin receptors or by modulating other related processes, the dominant role of FSH cannot be ignored. Recent results indicate that androgens might be among the local factors regulating ovulation rate in swine. Administration of testosterone or the nonaromatizable androgen dihydrotestosterone increased the number of ovulations in gilts in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, administration of dihydrotestosterone increased the amounts of FSH receptor mRNA in pig preovulatory follicles. Steady-state amounts of FSH receptor mRNA are relatively high during the early follicular phase but decrease significantly as follicles grow and approach ovulation, suggesting that major changes in amounts of FSH receptor mRNA occur during late follicular development in pigs. Local ovarian factors that regulate follicular responsiveness to gonadotropins seem to be important components of the mechanisms that control ovulation rate in pigs.

¹ Salaries and research support provided by state and federal funds appropriated to The Ohio Agric. Res. and Dev. Center and The Ohio State Univ. Manuscript no. 16-01AS.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H Cardenas, E Jimenez, and W F Pope Dihydrotestosterone influenced numbers of healthy follicles and follicular amounts of LH receptor mRNA during the follicular phase of the estrous cycle in gilts Reproduction, March 1, 2008; 135(3): 343 - 350. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]