Comparison of the Hormonal and Chemical Composition of the Fluid from Bovine Ovarian Follicles and Cysts

Abstract

Contents Cystic ovaries and ovaries with pre-ovulatory follicles (POF) of cows were collected at the slaughter house and progesterone (P4), estradiol-l7β (E2), testosterone (T), IGF-I (selected samples only), glucose and lactate were determined in cystic and follicular fluid. According to the levels of P4 and E2, ovarian cysts were classified as luteinized cysts (LC; P4: 345.14 ng/ml, E2: 3.34 ng/ml), follicular cysts (FC; P4: 25.41 ng/rnl, E2 336.51 ng/ml) and mixed-function cysts (MfC; P4: 59.43ng/ml, E2: 76.62ng/ml). There were no differences in steroid hormone and IGF-I concentrations between FC and POF. In LC, glucose levels were lower and lactate levels were higher than in FC, MfC and POF, indicating a changed metabolic pattern. In polycystic ovaries, five times the combination LC X FC and three times the combination LC x MfC was found. From this, it was concluded that the final events leading to cyst formation are controlled by intrafollicular/intraovarian mechanisms rather than systemic mechanisms.