Gene expression profiling of bovine ovarian follicular and luteal cells provides insight into cellular identities and functions

• The first published transcriptome data for the large and small luteal cell types is presented.
• RNA microarray analysis of each bovine ovarian cell type yielded new cell-specific genetic markers.
• Functional insight into the behavior of each cell type is reportedplus evidence of small and large luteal cell lineages.

After ovulation, somatic cells of the ovarian follicle (theca and granulosa cells) become the small and large luteal cells of the corpus luteum. Aside from known cell type-specific receptors and steroidogenic enzymes, little is known about the differences in the gene expression profiles of these four cell types. Analysis of the RNA present in each bovine cell type using Affymetrix microarrays yielded new cell-specific genetic markers, functional insight into the behavior of each cell type via Gene Ontology Annotations and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, and evidence of small and large luteal cell lineages using Principle Component Analysis. Enriched expression of select genes for each cell type was validated by qPCR. This expression analysis offers insight into cell-specific behaviors and the differentiation process that transforms somatic follicular cells into luteal cells.

Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (396 K)Download as PowerPoint slide