Cholesterol Deposition in the Chicken Ovarian Follicle

THE rate of transfer of materials into the ovarian follicle is rapid (Knight and Schechtman, 1954), and it occurs at a non-linear rate (Warren and Conrad, 1939; Romanoff, 1943) which is maximum at about the 2.5 g. stage (Smith, 1959). These materials are synthesized, and transported from various sites in the body to the ovary. Chargaff (1942) reported that certain lipids are formed in the liver and are transported by the plasma to the ovary where deposition takes place. Popjak and Tietz (1953) have shown that the theca interna and granulosa, membranes surrounding the ovum, synthesize fatty acids and cholesterol in vitro from C14-labelled acetate. Indeed, Kritchevsky (1958) concluded that many tissues are capable of cholesterol synthesis in vitro among which are the liver, intestine, aorta, adrenal glands, gonads and brain. This evidence suggests that a very intricate system of synthesis and transportation of cholesterol to and across the follicular…