The effects of Human ChorionicGonadotropin (hCG) on development of ovarian follicles of Balb/c race mouse

Controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) using gonadotropin is an important technique in the infertility and genetics research. The effect of hCG on development of ovarian follicles of Balb/c race mouse was studied in this investigation. In this experimental study, 30 virgin female Balb/c mice (21 days) were selected and divided into three groups of control, sham exposed (0.1ccNormal saline) and experimental group (0.1cc hCG 5IU/ml). The Mice were scarified 18 hours later by chloroform injection, and their ovaries were removed for morphometric and histological studies and the weight and size were recorded. The number of primary, secondary, growing and early antral follicles were determined and compared for each sample by light microscopy. The data were analyzed by means of SPSS software using ANOVA and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests at the significant level of P<0.05. There was no significant difference in the size of ovary, the average number of primary and secondary follicle among the 3 groups of mice (P>0.05). The administration of hCG caused a significant increase in ovarian weight and the average number of growing and early antral follicles compared with control and sham exposed groups (P=0.001). The results of this study indicate that the effect of hCG hormone on ovarian follicles growth rate, is higher in end-stages of development.