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Theriogenology41:19-24, 1994

CONTROL OF OVARIAN FOLLICULAR WAVE DYNAMICS IN CATTLE:


IMPLICATIONS FOR SYNCHRONIZATION & SUPERSTIMULATION

G.P. Adams

Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Western College of Veterinary Medicine


University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 0W0

INTRODUCTION

Recent interest and research activity in ovarian function have contributed greatly to our
understanding of the ovary, particularly with respect to follicular dynamics and its control.
Based on recent findings regarding endogenous mechanisms controlling follicular wave
emergence, follicle selection and dominance, new ideas for artificial manipulation of ovarian
function are being investigated. The following is intended as a brief overview of ovarian
follicular dynamics in cattle and a summary of recent studies that were designed to test
hypotheses concerning exogenous control of follicular development. Studies were focused on
2 aspects of exogenous control: 1) synchronization of follicular wave emergence (by steroid
treatment or follicle ablation), and 2) optimizing the response to superstimulatory regimens (by
initiating treatment at appropriate times relative to follicular wave emergence and dominant
follicle selection).

FOLLICULAR DYNAMICS

A wave of follicular development in cattle is characterized by the synchronous growth of


a number of small follicles followed by selection of a dominant follicle and subsequent regression
of subordinates (13,18,29,32). Most estrous cycles consist of 2 or 3 follicular waves
(13,14,18,27,29,32). On average, wave emergence was detected on Day 0 (the day of
ovulation) and Day I0 for two-wave estrous cycles, and on Days 0, 9 and 16 for three-wave
cycles (13,14). Results of studies on the composition and temporal relationships of follicular
waves (13,14) provided rationale for the hypotheses that 1) the dominant follicle of a wave
causes regression of its subordinates, and 2) the dominant follicle, during its growing phase,
suppresses emergence of the next wave. Support for these hypotheses has been obtained in
recent studies in which the effects of the dominant follicle were either removed by surgical o~
hormonal ablation (2,19) or augmented by treatment with follicular fluid (17). Measurements
of FSH profiles in 2- and 3-wave cycles, and studies in which exogenous FSH has been
administered at times of declining FSH secretion have established FSH as the key factor in
determining the pattern of follicular waves. In untreated control animals, a surge in plasma FSH
was detected 1 to 2 days before the emergence of each wave in 2-wave and 3-wave
interovulatory intervals. That is, 2 FSH surges were detected in 2-wave cycles and 3 surges in
3-wave cycles. It was concluded that a surge in circulating concentrations of FSH was
responsible for eliciting the emergence of a follicular wave, and that the dominant follicle
suppresses its subordinates and the emergence of the next wave through suppression of FSH (4).
Furthermore, the apparent time of selection of the dominant follicle (defined as the time of
divergence in growth profiles of dominant versus subordinate follicles) was coincident with the
first significant drop in FSH concentrations, each occurring 1 to 3 days after wave emergence.
The hypothesis that the post-surge decline in FSH is an integral component of the mechanism
of selection of the dominant follicle (4) was supported in a recent study wherein recombinant
DNA-derived bovine FSH (bFSH) given at the expected time of the endogenous FSH decline
resulted in prolonged growth of subordinate follicles and a delay in selection of the dominant
follicle (1). Temporal relationships also suggested that the failure of continuous follicular

Copyright 1994 Butterworth-Heinemann

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