Reactive oxygen species are indispensable in ovulation.

ABSTRACT: Ovulation is stimulated by the preovulatory surge of the pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH). Because the ovulatory response is commonly identified with inflammation, we explored the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process. Our experiments show that administration of broad-range scavengers of oxidative species into the ovarian bursa of mice, hormonally induced to ovulate, significantly reduced the rate of ovulation. LH-induced cumulus mucification/expansion, a necessary requirement for ovulation, was prevented by antioxidants both in vivo and in an ex vivo system of isolated intact ovarian follicles. Along this line, H(2)O(2) fully mimicked the effect of LH, bringing about an extensive mucification/expansion of the follicle-enclosed cumulus-oocyte complexes. Impaired pr

SUBMITTER: Shkolnik K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3029775 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature