Distinct Luteinization Profiles of Cultured Human Granulosa Cells from Small Antral and Preovulatory Follicles

Abstract

Context The transformation of follicular granulosa cells into luteal cells of the corpus luteum remains poorly understood in the human ovary. Objective To investigate the luteinization process and steroidogenic differences between granulosa cells from small antral and preovulatory follicles in vitro. Methods At the University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, USA, granulosa-lutein cells were obtained from 12 women undergoing IVF treatment, while follicular granulosa cells from unstimulated small antral follicles and corpus luteum were collected from 18 women undergoing ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Cells were cultured for up to 96 hours or 12 days with or without androstenedione or testosterone supplementation and analyzed using RT-qPCR and steroid hormone assays. Results In follicular granulosa cells, luteinization markers (CYP11A1, P