Physiology: Human follicular fluid maturity and endothelial cell mitogenesis

Abstract

Follicular fluid, of varying maturity, (day 5-16 of cycle) was collected from the largest Graafian follicle of each of 22 ovulatory patients during laparoscopic procedures. Three samples were blood-stained and discarded. The mitogenic potential of each sample was determined using bovine aortic endothelial cells in the CellTiter 96TM Non-Radioactive Cell Proliferation/Cytotoxicity Assay system. Intra- and inter-plate coefficients of variation were <9%. The follicular fluid samples induced cell doubling times which varied from ∼12-24 h and final cell numbers which, in the individual wells, ranged from 782-30 900 (starting number 2000/well). Follicular fluid total protein content was unrelated ..