Summary
Ovaries were obtained from normal adult dairy cows at all days of the estrous cycle. The largest Graafian follicle and corpus luteum were excised and prepared for electron microscopic study.
In the follicle wall, membrana granulosa cells contained granular endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria with villous or lamellar cristae. The theca interna cells during proestrus and estrus contained ribosomes separated from endoplasmic reticulum. The latter during these periods assumed tubular and tortuous shapes. Mitochondria during these periods assumed rounded shapes, were occasionally cup-shaped, and developed tubular cristae.
In the corpus luteum, the large luteal cells during metestrus and diestrus contained an abundance of agranular, tubular, branching membranes of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus. Mitochondria were large, with tubular cristae, but smaller mitochondria, with irregular or villous cristae, were also present. ‘Transitional bodies’ of the latter mitochondria to another form were observed. Cup-shaped and annular mitochondria were present during diestrus. In the small luteal cells, large vesicular membrane formations were present and often associated with lipid bodies. The cells were lipid-laden. Lysosomes and granular bodies were present during luteal regression.
The observed features of the granulosa cells are related to protein synthesis, those of the pre-ovulatory theca interna cells and metestrus-diestrus large luteal cells to steroid synthesis, and those of the small luteal cells to lipid storage.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bartók, I., u. S. Virágh: Zur Entwicklung und Differenzierung des endoplasmatischen Retikulums in den Epithelzellen der regenerierenden Leber. Z. Zellforsch. 68, 741–754 (1965).
Belt, W. D.: Fine structure of the ovarian follicle. Anat. Rec. (Abstr.) 142, 214 (1962).
—, and D. C. Pease: Mitochondrial structure in sites of steroid secretion. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 2 (Suppl.), 369–374 (1956).
Birbeck, M. S. C., and E. H. Mercer: Cytology of cells which synthesize protein. Nature (Lond.) 189, 558–560 (1961).
Björkman, N.: A study of the ultrastructure of the granulosa cells of the rat ovary. Acta anat. (Basel) 51, 125–147 (1962).
Brandes, D.: Observations on the apparent mode of formation of pure lysosomes. J. Ultrastruct. Res. 12, 63–80 (1965).
Caulfield, J. B.: Effects of varying the vehicle for osmium tetroxide in tissue fixation. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 3, 827–829 (1957).
Crisp, T.: Fine structure of lutein cells in mice. 78th Ann. Sess. Amer. Assn. Anatomists, Miami 1965.
Deane, H. W.: Histochemical observations on ovary and oviduct of albino rat during the estrous cycle. Amer. J. Anat. 91, 363–413 (1962).
Enders, A. C.: Observations on the fine structure of lutein cells. J. Cell Biol. 12, 101–113 (1962).
—, and W. L. Lyons: Observations on fine structure of lutein cells—effects on hypophysectomy and substitution with mammotrophic hormone (LTH) in rat. J. Cell Biol. 22, 127–141 (1964).
Höfliger, H.: Das Ovar des Rindes in den verschiedenen Lebensperioden unter besonderer Berücksichtigung seiner funktioneilen Feinstruktur. Acta anat. (Basel), Suppl. 5, 3–195 (1948).
Hugon, J., et M. Borgers: Étude morphologique et cytochimique des cytolysomes de la crypte duodenale de souris irradiée par rayons X. J. Microscopie 4, 643–656 (1965).
Lin, H.-S.: Microcylinders within mitochondrial cristae in the rat pinealocyte. J. Cell Biol. 25, part 1 of 2, 435–441 (1965).
McDonald, E.: Relation of lutein cell Golgi apparatus morphology to plasma progesterone concentration during estrous cycle. 78th Ann. Sess. Amer. Assn. Anatomists, Miami 1965.
McNutt, G. W.: The corpus luteum of the ox ovary in relation to the estrous cycle. Iowa State Coll. Publ. XXV, Vet. Pract. Bull. VIII, 79–107 (1926).
Minick, O. T., G. Kent, E. Orfei, and F. I. Volini: Nonmembrane enclosed intramitochondrial dense bodies. Exp. molec. Path. 4, 311–319 (1965).
Moricard, R.: Fonction méiogéne et fonction oestrogéne du follicule ovarien des mammifères (cytologie Golgienne, traceurs, microscopie electronique). Ann. endocr. (Paris) 19, 943–967 (1958).
Moss, S., T. R. Wrenn, and J. F. Sykes: Some histological and histochemical observations of the bovine ovary during the estrous cycle. Anat. Rec. 120, 409–434 (1954).
Nalbandov, A. V.: Reproductive physiology. San Francisco: W. H. Freeman & Co. 1964.
Novikoff, A. B., and E. Essner: Cytolysomes and mitochondrial degeneration. J. Cell Biol. 15, 140–146 (1962).
Odeblad, E., and H. Boström: A time-picture relation study with autoradiography on the uptake of labelled sulphate in the Graafian follicles of the rabbit. Acta radiol. (Stockh.) 39, 137–140 (1953).
Parsons, D. F.: A simple method for obtaining increased contrast in araldite sections by using post-fixation staining of tissues with potassium permanganate. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 11, 492–497 (1961).
Porter, K. R., and M. A. Bonneville: An introduction to the fine structure of cells and tissues. Philadelphia: Lea & Feabiger 1963.
Priedkalns, J.: Ph. D. Thesis, University of Minnesota 1966.
—, A. F. Weber, and R. Zemjanis: Qualitative and quantitative morphological studies of the cells of the membrana granulosa, theca interna and corpus luteum of the bovine ovary. Z. Zellforsch. 85, 501–520 (1968).
Rajakoski, E.: The ovarian follicular system in sexually mature heifers with special reference to seasonal, cyclical and left-right variations. Acta endocr. (Kbh.) 34, Suppl. 52, 1–68 (1960).
Reynolds, E. S.: The use of lead citrate at high pH as an electron-opaque stain in electron microscopy. J. Cell Biol. 17, 208–212 (1963).
Santoro, A.: Zur Ultrastruktur der Theca-internazellen des reifen Follikels des Kaninchens. VIII Internat. Anatomenkongr., Wiesbaden 1965.
Short, R. V.: Steroid concentrations in normal follicular fluid and ovarian cyst fluid from cows. J. Reprod. Fertil. 4, 27–45 (1962).
Spurlock, B. O., C. Kattine, and J. A. Freeman: Technical modifications in maraglas embedding. J. Cell Biol. 17, 203–207 (1963).
Trujillo-Cenóz, O., and T. R. Sotelo: Relationships of ovular surface with follicle cells, and origin of zona pellucida. J. biophys. biochem. Cytol. 5, 347–350 (1959).
Weber, A. F., E. A. Usenik, and S. C. Whipp: Experimental production of electron-dense intramatrical bodies in adrenal zona glomerulosa cells of calves. In: S. S. Breese (ed.), vol. II, V Internat. Congr. for Electron Microscopy. New York: Academic Press. 1962.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This investigation was supported by a General Research Support Grant to the College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, and Research Grant No. GM-07009, of the United States Public Health Service. Approved for publication as Scientific Journal Series Paper No. 6344, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station. The work reported is taken from the senior author's Ph. D. thesis.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Priedkalns, J., Weber, A.F. Ultrastructural studies of the bovine Graafian Follicle and corpus luteum. Z.Zellforsch 91, 554–573 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00455274
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00455274