Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2004 Oct;47(10):1940-1948.

Morphological Study on the Radiation-induced Follicular Atresia and the Follicular Macrophage

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejon, Korea.
  • 2Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejon, Korea.

Abstract


OBJECTIVE
It is well known that X-ray induces follicular atresia, but the exact mechanism of atresia is not still unveiled completely. In addition, the role of macrophage related with clean-up the dead granulosa cells and other functions within the ovarian follicle is emphasized recently. The aim of this study is to assess the radiation-induced morphological changes of ovarian follicles and follicular macrophages.
METHODS
8 Gy X-ray irradiated on the 3-week old rats (Sprague-Dawley strain), sacrificed at 6, 12, and 24 hours after irradiation, and performed morphological studies with light and transmission electron microscopy, TUNEL, and macrophage immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS
Follicular atresia increased significantly (p<0.01) at 6 hours after X-irradiation, and it was decreased significantly (p<0.01) at 12 and 24 hours after irradiation. X-ray induced chromatin condensation in the nucleus and nuclear fragmentation of granulosa cells, which were the typical features of apoptosis. Apoptotic granulosa cells were phagocytosed by the neighboring normal granulosa cells and the macrophages. During atresia of follicles, radioresistant granulosa cells were found in some follicles, which showed similar features morphologically with the granulosa cells of normal follicles. Macrophages were found both within the antrum and at the follicular granulosa layer.
CONCLUSION
X-radiation induced follicular atresia by means of granulosa cell apoptosis, and radioresistant granulosa cells which have similar features morphologically with the granulosa cells of normal follicles were observed in some follicles. And the macrophages which phagocytose the apoptotic granulosa cells were located within the follicular antrum and at the follicular granulosa layer.

Keyword

Follicular atresia; Apoptosis; Ionizing radiation; Immunostain; Macrophage

MeSH Terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Chromatin
Female
Follicular Atresia*
Granulosa Cells
Immunohistochemistry
In Situ Nick-End Labeling
Macrophages*
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Ovarian Follicle
Radiation, Ionizing
Rats
Chromatin
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