Many growth factors are considered to be involved in regulatory functions in the ovary. Specific factors mediate local cell-cell interactions in relation to follicle development. As a result of the complexity of the estrous cycles in experimental models, it is not easy to determine the role of a growth factor such as transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) in the system. Moreover, little is known about possible interactions of TGF-alpha and laminin and fibronectin in basement membranes during estrous cycles in relation to follicle development. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate distribution patterns of TGF-alpha, laminin and fibronectin and their possible roles during follicle maturation in normal rat ovary. Ovaries were obtained from 6 adult virgin female rats and fixed in buffered neutral formalin. TGF-alpha, laminin, and fibronectin distribution patterns were evaluated using 5-7-microm-thick serial sections using the immunoperoxidase method. It was found that TGF-alpha was predominantly localised in nuclei of oocytes. Varying amounts of TGF-alpha were found in granulosa cells and interstitial thecal cells which form follicles. In addition, laminin and fibronectin were found predominantly in vascular walls, outer layers of granulosa cells and basement membranes of cuboidal/columnar surface epithelium of rat ovary. Therefore, we suggest that TGF-alpha is involved in follicular maturation. Moreover, because laminin was found to be present in between parenchymal follicle cell layers, we suggest that they were attached to supportive stromal cells by fibronectin. As TGF-alpha is associated with follicles and their relationship with the extracellular matrix, TGF-alpha may also induce formation of basement membranes which contains laminin and fibronectin components.

中文翻译：

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TGF-α，层粘连蛋白和纤连蛋白的分布模式及其与大鼠卵巢卵泡生成的关系。

许多生长因子被认为与卵巢的调节功能有关。特定因素介导与卵泡发育有关的局部细胞间相互作用。由于实验模型中发情周期的复杂性，要​​确定系统中诸如转化生长因子α（TGF-alpha）之类的生长因子的作用并不容易。而且，关于发卵周期中与卵泡发育有关的TGF-α与层粘连蛋白和纤连蛋白在基底膜中可能的相互作用的了解甚少。因此，本研究旨在研究正常大鼠卵巢中TGF-α，层粘连蛋白和纤连蛋白的分布模式及其在卵泡成熟中的可能作用。从6只成年原始雌性大鼠中获得卵巢，并固定在缓冲的中性福尔马林中。TGF-α，层粘连蛋白，使用免疫过氧化物酶法，使用5-7微米厚的连续切片评估纤连蛋白的分布模式。发现TGF-α主要位于卵母细胞的核中。在形成卵泡的颗粒细胞和间质鞘细胞中发现了不同量的TGF-α。此外，层粘连蛋白和纤连蛋白主要在大鼠卵巢的血管壁，颗粒细胞的外层和立方/柱状表面上皮的基底膜中发现。因此，我们建议TGF-α参与卵泡成熟。此外，由于发现层粘连蛋白存在于实质滤泡细胞层之间，我们建议它们通过纤连蛋白附着在支持性基质细胞上。由于TGF-α与卵泡及其与细胞外基质的关系有关，