Autophagy and Mammalian Follicular Atresia

Abstract: Autophagy， namely type II programmed cell death， widely exists in all eukaryotes， and is a kind of physiological mechanism widespreading in the cells of normal and pathological states. In mammalian ovary， the oocytes that are selected for release constitute less than 1% of the total; the remainder is removed via the process of follicular atresia. Therefore， both apoptosis and autophagy are involved in the regulation of granulosa cell death during ovarian follicular development and atresia. Autophagy may play an important role in primordial follicles and primary follicular atresia. It may occur in granulosa cells， theca cells and oocytes. However， granulosa cells are the main cells in which autophagy take place in mammalian ovary， and are associated with cell apoptosis.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2013.09.0021