SUBPOPULATIONS OF HUMAN GRANULOSA-LUTEAL CELLS OBTAINED DURING EARLY TIMED AND DURING NORMALLY TIMED FOLLICULAR ASPIRATION IN IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION-EMBRYO TRANSFER CYCLES

Objective: To find the differences between human granulosa-luteal cell s obtained during early timed follicular aspiration to prevent severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and during normally timed fol licular aspiration. Design: Retrospective analysis of clinical laborat ory data. Setting: In vitro fertilization unit, University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Patient(s): Twenty women undergoing IVF-ET at high risk for OHSS. Intervention(s): Cells were obtained from the follicles of women who were stimulated with hMG and hCG during an early timed follicular aspiration of one ovary, 10- 12 hours after hCG, and during a normally timed follicular aspiration of the contralateral ovary, 32-36 hours after hCG administration. Main Outcome Measure(s): Subpopulations of granulosa-luteal cells were obs erved by computerized image analysis in which hCG was localized using immunoperoxidase staining. Result(s): Early timed follicular aspirates contained no oocytes and only a scant number of granulosa cells. Gran ulosa-luteal cells were smaller than those from normally timed follicu lar aspirates. We identified three subpopulations in early timed folli cular aspirates: nonluteinized, small luteinized, and medium luteinize d cells. In normally timed follicular aspirates, four subpopulations w ere identified, including large luteinized cells. The normally timed f ollicular aspirates contained more hCG-stained cells. Three staining t ypes of hCG localization were found: on the surface membrane, on the s urface membrane and within the cytoplasm, and only within the cytoplas m of cells from normally timed follicular aspirates. Early timed folli cular aspirates contained only cells with membrane hCG localization. C onclusion(s): We found differences in morphometric characteristics and hCG localization between human granulosa-luteal cells obtained during early timed follicular aspiration to prevent severe OHSS and during n ormally timed follicular aspiration. (C) 1997 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.