Comparative follicular development in Meishan and Large White gilts during prepubertal periods and its relation to...

Changes in follicular development in the left ovary and ovarian response to hormonal injections (hCG or eCG and hCG) in the right ovary were studied in Meishan gilts (n = 36) at 3, 2, and 1 standard deviations (SD) before the mean age of puberty (51, 64, and 77 days of age) and in Large White gilts (n = 24) at 3 and 1 SD (140 and 166 days of age). Left ovaries were removed at the time of hormonal treatments and the remaining ovaries were removed 18 h after hCG was injected alone (hCG) or 72 h after eCG was injected (eCG-hCG). Both nonatretic and atretic (> 4 pyknotic bodies) antral follicles > 0.6 mm in diameter were identified in the left ovaries by histological techniques. LH-sensitive follicles were identified in the right ovaries by counting follicles with dispersed cumulus cells around the oocytes. All large White gilts showed the presence of antral follicles at both 3 and 1 SD before puberty while 6, 7, and 12 Meishan gilts had antral follicles > 0.6 mm at 3, 2, and 1 SD before puberty, respectively. In Large White gilts, the mean number of nonatretic antral follicles > 0.6 mm remained constant at 3 and 1 SD before puberty, while in Meishan gilts, the mean number increased as gilts got older. Mean percentage of class 1 nonatretic follicles (0.6-1.12 mm) of the total number of nonatretic follicles increased significantly with age in Meishan gilts (p < 0.02), while those of class 3 (2.01-3.56 mm) decreased significantly (p < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)