Mechanisms of Apoptosis in the Ovary

• Main Authors: Liliana Petculescu-Ciochină, Nicolae Păcală, Gabi Dumitrescu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Agroprint Timisoara 2012-10-01
• Series: Scientific Papers Animal Science and Biotechnologies
• Subjects: apoptosis; death receptor; mechanisms; mitochondrial pathway; ovary
• Online Access: http://spasb.ro/index.php/spasb/article/view/344

Of ovarian follicular reserve, only a small part of these follicles reach maturity, most of them suffering an involution process called follicular atresia. In addition, for the initiation of a new wave of follicular development, a prerequisite is the corpus luteum regression. Last year studies showed that the two processes taking place in the ovaries are based on a complex mechanism, of genetically programmed cell death, significantly called apoptosis, a process conserved in terms of evolution, by which cells inactivate, disassemble and degrade their own structural and functional components systematically for completion of their own death. Ability of cells to enter in apoptosis in response to a specific death signal, depends on both their proliferative status and position in cell cycle, and on controlled expression of genes that promote, inhibit or affect cell death program. Any dysfunction that occurs in any of the key points of the programmed death can lead to erroneous apoptotic process, resulting in expression of pathological conditions.