INCIDENCE OF APOPTOTIC BODIES IN MEMBRANA GRANULOSA OF THE PATIENTS PARTICIPATING IN AN IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION PROGRAM

Objective: To investigate the incidence of apoptotio bodies in mural g ranulosa cell masses and cumulus cell masses. Design: Nonrandomized, p rospective study. Setting: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ya magata University School of Medicine, Yamagata, Japan. Patient(s): One hundred twenty-nine normally ovulating women underwent ovulation indu ction for NF-ET with GnRH analogue (GnRH-a) and gonadotropins. Interve ntion(s): Patients underwent follicle aspiration after the administrat ion of hCG. Main Outcome Measure(s): The nuclei of recovered granulosa cells were examined by fluorescence microscopy and the incidence of a poptotic bodies was tabulated. Result(s): The incidence of apoptotic b odies was significantly higher in mural granulosa cell masses than in cumulus cell masses in the entire group of 129 patients. Both incidenc e of apoptotic bodies of mural granulosa cell masses and cumulus cell masses were significantly higher in patients with less than six follic ular oocytes compared with patients with six or more oocytes. Nonpregn ant patients showed significantly higher incidence of apoptotic bodies in mural granulosa cell masses compared with pregnant patients. Concl usion(s): These results indicate that mural granulosa cell masses and cumulus cell masses may have different functions in follicular maturat ion. The incidence of apoptotic bodies in mural granulosa cell masses can be used as an indicator of success of IVF.