Does the Bovine Pre-Ovulatory Follicle Harbor Progenitor Stem Cells?

Recent studies have revealed the presence of a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) population in human and in gilt granulosa cells (GCs), thus increasing the interest in identifying the same population in the bovine species. We first isolated GCs by scraping from bovine preovulatory follicles and then tested several different media to define the ideal conditions to select granulosa-derived stem cells. Although expressing MSC-associated markers, none of the media tested proven to be efficient in selecting MSC-like cells that were able to differentiate into mesodermic or ectodermic lineages. We performed another experimental approach exposing cells to a chemical stress, such as lowering of pH, as a system to select a more plastic population. Following the treatment, granulosa-specific granulose markers [follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), follistatin (FST), and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIFR)] were lost in bovine GCs, whereas an increase in multi- (CD29, CD44, CD73) and pluripotent (Oct-4 and c-Myc) genes was noticed. The stress allowed up-regulation of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression and the dedifferentiation of GCs, which was demonstrated by differentiation studies. Indeed, pH-treated cells were able to differentiate into the mesodermic and ectodermic lineages, thus suggesting that the chemical stress allows for the selection of cells that are more prone to adjust and respond to the environmental changes.