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In This Article

  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Protocol
  • Representative Results
  • Discussion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Materials
  • References
  • Reprints and Permissions

Summary

Advancing the study of preantral folliculogenesis requires efficient methods of follicle isolation from single ovaries. Presented here is a streamlined, mechanical protocol for follicle isolation from bovine ovaries using a tissue chopper and homogenizer. This method allows collection of a large number of viable preantral follicles from a single ovary.

Abstract

Understanding the full process of mammalian folliculogenesis is crucial for improving assisted reproductive technologies in livestock, humans, and endangered species. Research has been mostly limited to antral and large preantral follicles due to difficulty in the isolation of smaller preantral follicles, especially in large mammals such as bovine species. This work presents an efficient approach to retrieve large numbers of small preantral follicles from a single bovine ovary. The cortex of individual bovine ovaries was sliced into 500 µm cubes using a tissue chopper and homogenized for 6 min at 9,000-11,000 rpm using a 10 mm probe. Large debris was separated from the homogenate using a cheese cloth, followed by serial filtration through 300 µm and 40 µm cell strainers. The contents retained in the 40 µm strainer were rinsed into a search dish, where follicles were identified and collected into a drop of medium. The viability of the collected follicles was tested via trypan blue staining. This method enables the isolation of a large number of viable small preantral follicles from a single bovine ovary in approximately 90 min. Importantly, this method is entirely mechanical and avoids the use of enzymes to dissociate the tissue, which may damage the follicles. The follicles obtained using this protocol can be used for downstream applications such as isolation of RNA for RT-qPCR, immunolocalization of specific proteins, and in vitro culture.

Introduction

Ovarian follicles are the functional units of the ovary, responsible for production of the gamete (oocyte) as well as hormones critical for reproductive function and overall health. Primordial follicles form in the ovary during fetal development or in the neonatal period depending on the species1, and they constitute a female's ovarian reserve. Follicular growth begins with the activation of primordial follicles that leave the resting pool and enter the growing phase. Preantral folliculogenesis, encompassing all follicle stages before antrum development, is a highly dynamic process that requires synchronous morphological and metabolic chang....

Protocol

Bovine (Bos taurus) ovaries were sourced from a local abattoir and transported to the laboratory within 6 h of collection. Due to the large number of animals processed in the facility, the age, breed, and stage of the estrus cycle of the animals are unknown. Because no live animals were used in these experiments, an approved animal care and use protocol was not required.

1. Preparation of equipment and reagents

  1. Cover a 2 ft wide section of a lab bench with.......

Representative Results

Overview and critical steps
Using this protocol, small bovine preantral follicles can be reliably isolated from single ovaries in experimentally relevant numbers. From a total of 30 replicates, an average of 41 follicles were obtained per replicate, with a range of 11 to 135 follicles (Figure 4A). In 14 replicates, the follicles were characterized for stage of development as previously described26 by measuring the follicle diameter using a 1 .......

Discussion

The present protocol details a reproducible method to retrieve early stage preantral follicles, specifically at primary and early secondary stages, from the bovine ovary. This protocol builds on previous reports20,25,30,34,35,36 and provides optimizations that result in the isolation of a meaningful number of follicles from a.......

Acknowledgements

This project was partially funded by USDA Multi-state project W4112 and UC Davis Jastro Shields award to SM.

The authors would like to extend their appreciation to Central Valley Meat, Inc. for providing the bovine ovaries used in all experiments. The authors also thank Olivia Silvera for assistance with ovary processing and follicle isolation.

....

Materials

NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
5-3/4" Soda Lime Disposable Glass Pasteur PipetteDuran Wheaton Kimble63A54Pasteur pipette that can be used to dislodge follicles from debris while searching within the petri dish
16% ParaformaldehydeElectron Microscopy Sciences15710Diluted to 4%; fixation of follicles for immunostaining
20 mL Luer-lock SyringeFisher ScientificZ116882-100EASyringe used with the 18 G needle to dislodge follicles from the 40 μm cell strainer
#21 Sterile Scalpel BladeFisher Scientific50-365-023Used to cut the ovaries and remove the medula
40 μm Cell StrainerFisher Scientific 22-363-547Used to filter the filtrate from the 300 μm cell strainer
104 mm Plastic FunnelFisher Scientific10-348CSize can vary, but ensure the cheese cloth is cut appropriately and that the ovarian homogenate will not spill over
300 μm Cell StrainerpluriSelect 43-50300-03Used to filter the filtrate from the cheese cloth 
500 mL Erlenmeyer FlaskFisher ScientificFB500500Funnel and flask used to catch filtrate from the cheese cloth 
Air-Tite Sterile Needles 18 GThermo Fisher Scientific14-817-15118 G offers enough pressure to dislodge follicles from the 40 μm cell strainer
Air-Tite Sterile Needles 27 G 13 mmFisher Scientific14-817-171Needles that can be used to manipulate any debris in which follicles are stuck
BD Hoechst 33342 SolutionFisher ScientificBDB561908Fluorescent DNA stain
Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA)Sigma-AldrichA7030-100G Component of follicle wash media
Cheese ClothElectron Microscopy Sciences71748-00First filtering step of the ovarian homogenate meant to remove large tissue debris
Classic Double Edge Safety Razor BladesWilkinson SwordN/ARazor blades that fit the best in the McIlwain Tissue Chopper and do not dull quickly
Donkey-Anti-Rabbit Secondary Antibody, Alexa Fluor 488Fisher ScientificA-21206Secondary antibody for immunostaining
Eisco Latex Pipette BulbsFisher ScientificS29388Rubber bulb to use with Pasteur pipettes
HEPES BufferSigma-AldrichH3375Component of follicle wash media
HomogenizerVWR10032-336Homogenize the ovarian tissue to release follicles 
ImageJ/FijiNIHv2.3.1Software used for analysis of fluorescence-immunolocalization
McIlwain Tissue ChopperTed Pella10184Used to cut ovarian tissue small enough for homogenization
Microscope - StereoscopeOlympusSZX2-ILLTDissection microscope used for searching and harvesting follicles from the filtrate
Microscope - InvertedNikonDiaphot 300Inverted microscope used for high magnification brightfield visualization of isolated follicles
Microscope - InvertedECHORevolve R4Inverted microscope used for high magnification brightfield and epifluorescence visualization of isolated follicles
Mineral OilSigma-AldrichM8410-1LOil to cover the drops of follicle wash medium to prevent evaporation during searching
Non-essential Amino Acids (NEAA)Gibco11140-050Component of follicle wash medium
Normal Donkey SerumJackson ImmunoResearch017-000-001Reagent for immunostaining blocking buffer
Nunc 4-well Dishes for IVFThermo Fisher Scientific1444444-well dishes for follicle isolation and washing
Penicillin-Streptomycin Solution 100xGibco15-140-122Component of follicle wash medium
Petri Dish 60 mm OD x 13.7 mmTed Pella10184-04Petri dish that fits the best in the McIlwain Tissue Chopper
Phosphate Buffered Saline (PBS)Fisher ScientificBP665-1Washing buffer for ovaries and follicles
Plastic Cutting BoardFisher Scientific09-002-24ACutting board of sufficient size to safely cut ovaries
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)Fisher ScientificBP431-100Addition of PVP (0.1% w/v) to PBS prevents follicles from sticking to the plate or each other 
ProLong Gold Antifade MountantThermo Fisher ScientificP36930Mounting medium for fluorescently labeled cells or tissue
Qiagen RNeasy Micro KitQiagen74004RNA column clean-up kit
RThe R Foundationv4.1.2Statistical analysis software
Rabbit-Anti-Human Cx37/GJA4 Polyclonal AntibodyAbcamab181701Cx37 primary antibody for immunostaining
RevertAid RT Reverse Transcription KitThermo Fisher ScientificK1691cDNA synthesis kit
RstudioRStudio, PBCv2021.09.2Statistical analysis software
Sodium Hydroxide Solution (1N/Certified)Fisher ScientificSS266-1Used to increase media pH to 7.6-7.8
Sodium Pyruvate (NaPyr)Gibco11360-070Component of follicle wash medium
Square Petri Dish 100 mm x 15 mm Thermo Fisher Scientific60872-310Gridded petri dishes allow for more efficient identification of follicles 
SsoAdvanced Universal SYBR Green SupermixBioRad1725271Mastermix for PCR reaction
Steritop Threaded Bottle Top FilterSigma-AldrichS2GPT02REUsed to sterilize follicle wash medium
SYBR-safe DNA gel stainThermo Fisher ScientificS33102Staining to visual PCR products on agarose gel
TCM199 with Hank’s SaltsGibco12-350-039Component of follicle wash medium
Triton X-100Fisher ScientificBP151-100Detergent for immunostaining permeabilization buffer
Trizol reagentThermo Fisher Scientific15596026RNA isolation reagent
Trypan Blue Solution, 0.4%Gibco15-250-061Used for testing viability of isolated follicles
Tween 20Detergent for immunostaining wash buffer
Warmer Plate UniversalWTA20931Warm plate to keep follicles at 38.5 °C while searching under the microscope
Wiretrol II Calibrated MicropipetsDrummond50002-005Glass micropipettes to manipulate follicles

References

  1. Fortune, J. E., Yang, M. Y., Allen, J. J., Herrick, S. L. Triennial reproduction symposium: The ovarian follicular reserve in cattle: What regulates its formation and size. Journal of Animal Science. 91 (7), 3041-3050 (2013).
  2. Fair, T., Hulshof, S. C., Hyttel, P., Greve, T., Boland, M.

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