Ovarian follicles of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) cultured within lamellae survive well, and sequester and process vitellogenin

✍ Scribed by Nagler, J. J. ;Tyler, C. R. ;Sumpter, J. P.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 761 KB
• Volume: 269
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402690106

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The culture of ovarian follicles of fish has proved difficult and this has hindered research on factors controlling oocyte growth. Here we describe a system for the in vitro culture of vitellogenic ovarian follicles from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) contained within their lamellae, and compare it to results obtained with individual follicles. Gross morphological appearance, volume change, rate of vitellogenin (VTG) uptake, and subsequent processing of VTG were used as indicators of viability and physiological status. In culture, follicles maintained within ovarian lamellae had significantly higher survival rates compared to individual follicles divested of connective tissue and surface epithelia (90% vs. 45% survival, respectively) after 6 d. Although surrounded by follicle cell layers and surface epithelia, oocytes within lamellae still sequestered VTG, albeit at a lower rate than individual follicles devoid of their surface epithelia. Further, VTG sequestered by follicles within lamellae was processed into lower molecular weight proteins within the oocyte. The superior survival rate of ovarian follicles within lamellae (compared to those divested of their surface epithelia), together with their ability to incorporate VTG and process it suggest that this method provides an excellent system for studying factors controlling oocyte growth. © Wiley‐Liss, Inc.