Expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and its receptors in human ovarian follicles from adults and fetuses

Objective: To investigate the immunocytochemical expression and presence of mRNA transcripts for basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and its four receptors (FGFR-1, -2, -3, and -4) in ovaries from human adults and fetuses. Design: Immunocytochemical and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) study. Setting: Major tertiary care and referral academic centers. Patient(s): Nine women and girls undergoing laparoscopic ovarian biopsy and 26 women undergoing second- and third-trimester pregnancy terminations. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Microscopic morphometric analysis, immunocytochemistry for bFGF and its receptors, and RT-PCR analyses. Result(s): The proteins for bFGF, FGFR-2, FGFR-3, and FGFR-4 were identified in oocytes of all follicular classes. Immunocytochemical expression of bFGF and its receptors was detected in granulosa cells of follicles from adolescents/women but not from fetuses. There was no immunocytochemical expression of FGFR-1. Transcripts of bFGF and its four receptors were identified by RT-PCR in all samples. Conclusion(s): The expression of bFGF and its receptors in human ovaries suggests that bFGF might have a role in early folliculogenesis.