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Reproduction (Cambridge, England)2005; 130(3); 379-388; doi: 10.1530/rep.1.00757

Systemic concentrations of hormones during the development of follicular waves in mares and women: a comparative study.

Abstract: Changes in systemic concentrations of FSH, LH, oestradiol and progesterone during the ovulatory follicular wave were compared between 30 mares and 30 women. Based on a previous study, the emergence of the future ovulatory follicle was defined as occurring at 13.0 mm in mares and 6.0 mm in women, and deviation in diameter between the two largest follicles was expected to begin at 22.7 mm in mares and 10.3 mm in women. Mean FSH concentrations were high in mares during the luteal phase, resulting from statistically identified FSH surges occurring in individuals on different days and in different numbers (mean, 1.5 +/- 0.2 surges/mare); the internadir interval was 3.9 +/- 0.3 days. In contrast, mean FSH in women was low during the luteal phase and increased to a prolonged elevation during the follicular phase. The prolonged elevation was apparent in each individual (internadir interval, 15.2 +/- 0.4 days). Changes in LH or oestradiol concentrations encompassing deviation were not detected in mares, but both hormones increased slightly but significantly between emergence and deviation in women. The hypothesis that a greater number of growing follicles causes a greater predeviation decrease in FSH was supported for mares (r, -0.39; P< 0.04), but a similar negative correlation (r, -0.36) was not significant in women. The hypothesis that the increase in oestradiol during the luteal phase in women was at least partly attributable to luteal-phase anovulatory follicular waves was not supported. Normalization of FSH concentrations to the day of emergence showed maximum value on the day of emergence with a significant increase and decrease on each side of emergence in both species. The day of expected deviation occurred 3 days after emergence during the decline in FSH in both species. These results indicated that the previously reported striking similarities in emergence and deviation between mares and women during the ovulatory follicular wave are associated with species similarities in the temporal relationships between follicle events and FSH concentration changes. Thus, mares may be useful research models for studying the role and mechanism of the action of FSH in emergence and deviation during the ovulatory follicular wave in women.
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Publication Date: 2005-08-27 PubMed ID: 16123245PubMed Central: PMC2881942DOI: 10.1530/rep.1.00757Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research compares changes in hormone concentrations during ovulatory follicular wave between mares and women. It suggests that mares could be a helpful research model for unraveling how the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) influences ovulation in women.

Study Design and Participants

  • The study involved two groups of participants, 30 mares and 30 women.
  • The researchers monitored the ovulatory follicular wave, a cycle of egg development and release during ovulation, in both the mares and women.
  • They compared changes in various hormone levels, including follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), oestradiol (a form of estrogen), and progesterone, during the ovulatory follicular wave.

Criteria for Ovulatory Follicle Emergence and Deviation

  • The emergence of the future ovulatory follicle, or a new follicle that is going to ovulate, was defined at 13.0 mm in mares and 6.0 mm in women. This is based on the size of the follicle prior to its final growth spurt before ovulation.
  • The deviation in diameter, or difference in size, between the two largest follicles was expected to begin at 22.7 mm in mares and 10.3 mm in women.

Results on Hormone Concentrations and Follicle Development

  • In mares, the mean FSH concentrations during the luteal phase (after ovulation but before menstruation) were high, due to FSH surges. These surges occurred differently across mares.
  • Women, on the other hand, experienced a low FSH concentration during the luteal phase, which then increased during the follicular phase (the phase from the beginning of the menstrual cycle to ovulation).
  • Changes in LH and oestradiol concentrations across the follicular phase were not detected in mares, but both hormones mildly increased between emergence and deviation in women.

Implications and Conclusions

  • The researchers hypothesized that more follicular growth might lead to a more noticeable decrease in FSH before deviation. This hypothesis held for mares but not for women.
  • Also, increased oestradiol levels in women during the luteal phase are not due to anovulatory follicular waves (follicles growing but not releasing eggs).
  • Regardless of species, FSH levels peaked on the day of emergence and significantly decreased after three days, around when deviation is expected to happen.
  • These results suggest that the processes of follicular emergence and deviation during ovulation in mares and women show similarities, particularly in relation to changes in FSH concentrations.
  • The researchers suggest that mares could be a helpful research model for studying how FSH influences the process of follicular emergence and deviation during ovulation in women.

Cite This Article

APA
Ginther OJ, Beg MA, Gastal EL, Gastal MO, Baerwald AR, Pierson RA. (2005). Systemic concentrations of hormones during the development of follicular waves in mares and women: a comparative study. Reproduction, 130(3), 379-388. https://doi.org/10.1530/rep.1.00757

Publication

Reproduction (Cambridge, England)
ISSN: 1470-1626
NlmUniqueID: 100966036
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 130
Issue: 3
Pages: 379-388

Researcher Affiliations

Ginther, O J
  • Eutheria Foundation, Cross Plains, Wisconsin 53528, USA. ginther@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
Beg, M A
    Gastal, E L
      Gastal, M O
        Baerwald, A R
          Pierson, R A

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Estradiol / blood
            • Estrous Cycle / physiology
            • Female
            • Follicle Stimulating Hormone / blood
            • Follicular Phase / physiology
            • Gonadal Steroid Hormones / blood
            • Gonadotropins, Pituitary / blood
            • Horses / physiology
            • Humans
            • Luteinizing Hormone / blood
            • Ovarian Follicle / anatomy & histology
            • Ovulation / physiology
            • Progesterone / blood
            • Radioimmunoassay

            Grant Funding

            • 11489 / Canadian Institutes of Health Research

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 11 times.
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