Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2012
Capstone Advisor
Dr. Melissa E. Pepling
Honors Reader
Dr. Eleanor M. Maine
Capstone Major
Biology
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Sciences and Engineering
Subject Categories
Biology | Developmental Biology
Abstract
In female mammals, proper oocyte development is a vital prerequisite for future gamete viability and fertility. This development of oocytes, known as oogenesis, begins with the migration of primordial germ cells to the genital ridge of the early embryo, where multiple rounds of mitotic division occur without complete cytokinesis. The result is temporary cyst morphology. Cyst breakdown is a crucial process in the next developmental stage, resulting in formation of the single oocytes which will grow in follicles surrounded by granulosa cells and eventually develop into eggs. These aspects of embryogenesis are conserved across multiple species, including Drosophila, mice, and humans. Extensive research has already been completed to elucidate the mechanisms through which the steroid hormone estrogen regulates these developmental processes. Some research shows that progesterone, among other steroid hormones, also plays a role in inhibiting cyst breakdown and disrupting proper follicular assembly. However, specific types of progesterone receptors (PRs) and the signaling pathways they mediate have not yet been studied in the fetal stages of ovarian development. Here, the expression of specific PRs has been investigated and assessed via immunocytochemistry. The functional characterization of each individual progesterone receptor using organ culture is now in early stages of investigation. The experimental results confirm the presence of four different types of PRs: PR-A and PR-B, PAQR3, PGRMC1, and PGRMC2. Each receptor type shows evidence of expression at different stages of development as well as localization to different cell types within the ovary. Elucidating the detailed signaling pathways pertaining to each receptor requires additional investigation.
Recommended Citation
Dzyadyk, Marta N., "Role of Progesterone Receptors in Neonatal Ovary Development" (2012). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 139.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/139
Creative Commons License
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