Apoptosis within bovine follicular cells and its effect on oocyte development during in vitro maturation

摘要

Developmental competence of oocytes is compromised if they originate from atretic follicles. Apoptosis is the underlying process of atresia. Apoptotic changes in follicular cells are thought to influence the outcome of IVR The aim of this study was to investigate apoptosis in different compartments of single bovine follicles (follicular wall, granulosa and cumulus cells (CC)) in relation to COC morphology, and to determine whether the addition, in vitro, of exogenous follicular cells from atretic follicles to maturing cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) influenced the development of oocytes.