Culture of goat preantral follicles in situ associated with mesenchymal stem cell from bone marrow

This study aims to develop an in vitro co-culture system of in situ goat preantral follicles with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC), evaluating the influence of these cells on follicular growth, rate of activation and morphologically normal follicles. Fragments of ovarian cortex were cultured for 1 or 7 days in the presence of BM-MSC (BM-MSC+) and absence of BM-MSC (BM-MSC−). Histological sections of the fragments were analysed and data were obtained regarding morphological classification, survival rate of morphologically normal follicles and rate of follicular activation. Culture medium on days 1 and 7 was also sampled for nitrite concentration and reduced glutathione activity. There was a reduction ( P P P > 0.05). When comparing treatments with each other, as well as with the fresh control, no differences were observed in follicular diameter ( P > 0.05) or nitrite concentration ( P > 0.05). The concentration of reduced glutathione was lower on the seventh day of co-culture in both treatments ( P