Ovarian follicle cells in torpedo marmorata synthesize vitellogenin

Abstract The pattern of vitellogenesis is similar in all non‐mammalian vertebrates: the liver, under oestrogenic stimulus, synthesizes vitellogenin (VTG) that, via the maternal circulation, is delivered to the oocyte and here internalized by receptor‐mediated endocytosis (Wallace, 1985: Development Biology. A comprehensive synthesis. Vol. 1 Oogenesis:127–177; Schneider, 1996: Int Rev Cytol 166:103–134; LaFleur, 1999: Encyclopedia of Reproduction Vol. 4:985–992). The contribution to vitellogenesis of different components of the ovarian follicle has also been reported in amphibians (Wallace, 1985), squamate reptiles (Ghiara and Limatola, 1980: Acta Embryol Morphol Exper 1:5–6; Andreuccetti, 1992: J Morphol 212:1–11), and recently, supporting previous reports (Chieffi and Pierantoni, 1987: Hormones and Reproduction in Fishes, Amphibians and Reptiles Single vol.:117–144), in Torpedo marmorata (Prisco et al., 2001: Perspective in comparative endocrinology: Unity and diversity Single vol.:1197–1201; Prisco et al., 2002b: Gen Comp Endocrinol 128:171–179). The present investigation, performed with immunoblotting, immunohistochemical, and in situ hybridization techniques during different stages of follicular growth in T. marmorata , shows that, as previously supposed (Prisco et al., 2002b), granulosa cells in both previtellogenic and vitellogenic phases actively synthesize VTG. This is the first time among vertebrates that the synthesis of this protein has been found to occur also within the ovarian follicle. The present data also demonstrate that the contribution of granulosa cells becomes particularly evident during vitellogenesis. Indeed, in vitellogenic follicles, small, intermediate, and pyriform‐like cells cross‐react with an anti‐VTG antibody and are positive to a hybridization signal with a VTG mRNA probe. By contrast, in previtellogenesis only the enlarged cells, i.e., intermediate and pyriform‐like cells, are involved in VTG synthesis. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 67: 424–429, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.