Effect of plasma from cyclic versus nutritionally induced anovulatory beef heifers on proliferation of granulosa cells in vitro

The effect of plasma from cyclic versus nutritionally induced anovulatory beef heifers was evaluated on proliferation of bovine granulosa cells in vitro. Granulosa cells were obtained from small (1-5 mm) follicles of cattle and cultured for 4 days. During the last 2 days of culture, cells were exposed to medium containing 0, 1 or 10% plasma from cyclic or anovulatory heifers in the presence or absence of IGF-I (100 ng/ml). Cell numbers were determined. Regardless of source, increasing percentage of plasma to culture medium increased cell numbers. However, the plasma-induced increase was greater in granulosa cells exposed to cyclic heifer plasma versus anovulatory heifer plasma. In addition, concomitant treatment with IGF-I dramatically improved cell proliferation induced by anovulatory heifer plasma. These results indicate that plasma from cyclic heifers contain factors that are a greater stimulus to granulosa cell proliferation than plasma from anovulatory heifers. Systemic factors such as IGF-I may play a role in directly regulating granulosa cell proliferation in cattle.