Comparative study of follicular fluid and cultured granulosa cell steroid production

Abstract

To determine the steroidogenic capacity of follicular and cultured granulosa cells, estradiol and progesterone productions were studied in 10 fertilized and 10 nonfertilized IVF-ET cases. After separation of granulosa cells, they were cultured in EBSS within 24 hours. Follicular fluid obtained from follicles with fertilized oocytes contained higher levels of estradiol (E2), progesterone (P) and P/E2 ratio although the differences were statistically nonsignificant. Cultured granulosa cells demonstrated higher numbers per mililiter in fertilized oocyte group in comparison with the nonfertilized ones (p<0.05). However, nonfertilized group showed higher estradiol and progesterone production per 10 million granulosa cells (p<0.05) while P/E2 production rate of cultured granulosa cells was higher than the P/E2 ratio of fertilized group (p<0.05). These results suggest that preovulatory granulosa cell steroid production in favor of progesterone may deteriorate fertilization.