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Updated: Aug 21, 2026
A Modified Co-Culture System for Understanding Granulosa-Theca Cell Interactions in the Bovine Ovary
Published on: September 19, 2025
Coculture with a human granulosa cell line enhanced the development of murine preimplantation embryos via SCF/c-kit
Fuminori Taniguchi1, Tasuku Harada, Makoto Nara
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tottori University School of Medicine, 36-1 Nishimachi, Yonago 683-8504, Japan. tani4327@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Purpose:
To evaluate the effect on the coculture of murine embryos with a human ovarian granulosa tumor derived cell line (KGN cells).
Methods:
We observed microscopically the growth of murine preimplantation embryos in the coculture system with KGN cells or in the presence with exogenous stem cell factor (SCF). The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method was used to analyze the gene expression of SCF in KGN cells cocultured with murine embryos.
Results:
The coculture system with KGN cells significantly increased the rate of embryo development to late blastocyst and to hatching stage. We also found that coculture with murine embryos enhanced the gene expression of SCF in KGN cells. Adding human recombinant SCF to the medium significantly enhanced embryo development to late blastocyst and hatching stage.
Conclusions:
KGN cells may facilitate preimplantion embryo development through SCF/c-kit paracrine system.
