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Updated: Nov 19, 2025
07:03
A Modified Co-Culture System for Understanding Granulosa-Theca Cell Interactions in the Bovine Ovary
Published on: September 19, 2025
298
Engineering Functional Rat Ovarian Spheroids Using Granulosa and Theca Cells
Myung Jae Jeon1,2, Young Sik Choi1,3,4, Il Dong Kim5
1Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27101, USA.
Reproductive Sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)
|January 29, 2021
Summary
Engineered ovarian cell spheroids offer a promising cell-based therapy alternative to menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). These constructs effectively secrete key sex steroid hormones, recapitulating ovarian endocrine function ex vivo.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Cell therapy
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is effective but carries risks.
- Cell-based therapies present a potential alternative for managing ovarian activity loss.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct and evaluate the endocrine function of engineered ovarian cell spheroids.
- To assess the potential of these spheroids as an alternative to MHT.
Main Methods:
- Isolated theca and granulosa cells from rat ovaries.
- Fabricated multilayered and mixed ovarian cell spheroids using microwells.
- Encapsulated spheroids in collagen gel and assessed endocrine function over 30 days.
Main Results:
- Engineered spheroids maintained structure during culture.
- Both spheroid types showed higher 17β-estradiol secretion than controls, increasing over time.
- Multilayered spheroids exhibited superior 17β-estradiol and sustained progesterone secretion compared to non-layered constructs and controls.
Conclusions:
- Developed an in vitro rat model of engineered ovarian cell spheroids.
- Demonstrated recapitulation of ovarian endocrine function ex vivo.
- Indicated potential for engineered ovarian spheroids in menopausal hormone therapy applications.
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