Regulation of Ovarian Follicle Growth

An understanding of the biological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms regulate the reproductive axis is the goal of the laboratory. Hormones and locally produced growth factors of the gonads, pituitary, and hypothalamus interact to maintain reproductive cyclicity in the female and tonic sperm production in the male. The integration of endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine mechanisms provides the precision demanded by nature to maintain the germ line of the species.

The protein molecules that we are currently evaluating are inhibin and activin. While our aims are broad, the utility of the inhibin and activin hormone family is that they provide specific investigative tools. These hormones are integral factors in normal ovarian function and may be inappropriately regulated in disease states.

(Articles may be accessed at the Woodruff Lab Site by clicking here.)

Kipp JL, Kilen SM, Bristol-Gould S, Woodruff TK, Mayo KE. Neonatal Exposure to Estrogens Suppresses Activin Expression and Signaling in the Mouse Ovary. Endocrinology. 2007 Jan 25; [Epub ahead of print]

Xu M, West E, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. Identification of a stage-specific permissive in vitro culture environment for follicle growth and oocyte development. Biol Reprod. 2006 Dec;75(6):916-23.

Lerch TF, Xu M, Jardetzky TS, Mayo KE, Radhakrishnan I, Kazer R, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. The structures that underlie normal reproductive function. Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2006 Nov 30.

Berkholtz CB, Lai BE, Woodruff TK, Shea LD. Distribution of extracellular matrix proteins type I collagen, type IV collagen, fibronectin, and laminin in mouse folliculogenesis. Histochem Cell Biol. 2006 Nov;126(5):583-92.

Bristol-Gould SK, Kreeger PK, Selkirk CG, Kilen SM, Cook RW, Kipp JL, Shea LD, Mayo KE, Woodruff TK. Postnatal regulation of germ cells by activin: the establishment of the initial follicle pool. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1;298(1):132-48.

Bristol-Gould SK, Kreeger PK, Selkirk CG, Kilen SM, Mayo KE, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. Fate of the initial follicle pool: empirical and mathematical evidence supporting its sufficiency for adult fertility. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1;298(1):149-54.

Berkholtz CB, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. Extracellular matrix functions in follicle maturation. Semin Reprod Med. 2006 Sep;24(4):262-9. Review.

Lin SJ, Lerch TF, Cook RW, Jardetzky TS, Woodruff TK. The structural basis of TGF-beta, bone morphogenetic protein, and activin ligand binding. Reproduction. 2006 Aug;132(2):179-90. Review.

Bristol-Gould S, Woodruff TK. Folliculogenesis in the domestic cat (Felis catus). Theriogenology. 2006 Jul 1;66(1):5-13.

Sjoholm K, Palming J, Lystig TC, Jennische E, Woodruff TK, Carlsson B, Carlsson LM. The expression of inhibin beta B is high in human adipocytes, reduced by weight loss, and correlates to factors implicated in metabolic disease. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2006 Jun 16;344(4):1308-14.

Suszko MI, Woodruff TK. Cell-specificity of transforming growth factor-beta response is dictated by receptor bioavailability. J Mol Endocrinol. 2006 Jun;36(3):591-600.

Xu M, Kreeger PK, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. Tissue-Engineered Follicles Produce Live, Fertile Offspring. Tissue Eng. 2006 Jun 1.

Burdette JE, Kurley SJ, Kilen SM, Mayo KE, Woodruff TK. Gonadotropin-induced superovulation drives ovarian surface epithelia proliferation in CD1 mice. Endocrinology. 2006 May;147(5):2338-45.

Nieman CL, Kazer R, Brannigan RE, Zoloth LS, Chase-Lansdale PL, Kinahan K, Dilley KJ, Roberts D, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. Cancer survivors and infertility: a review of a new problem and novel answers. J Support Oncol. 2006 Apr;4(4):171-8. Review.

Kreeger PK, Deck JW, Woodruff TK, Shea LD. The in vitro regulation of ovarian follicle development using alginate-extracellular matrix gels. Biomaterials. 2006 Feb;27(5):714-23.

Kenny HA, Woodruff TK. Follicle size class contributes to distinct secretion patterns of inhibin isoforms during the rat estrous cycle. Endocrinology. 2006 Jan;147(1):51-60.

Thompson TB, Cook RW, Chapman SC, Jardetzky TS, Woodruff TK. Beta A versus beta B: is it merely a matter of expression? Mol Cell Endocrinol. 2004 Oct 15;225(1-2):9-17. PMID: 15451562.

Phillips DJ, Woodruff TK. Inhibin: actions and signalling. Growth Factors. 2004 Mar;22(1):13-8. PMID: 15176454.

Bristol SK, Woodruff TK. Follicle-restricted compartmentalization of transforming growth factor beta superfamily ligands in the feline ovary.
Biol Reprod. 2004 Mar;70(3):846-59. Epub 2003 Dec 03. PMID: 14656728.

Pangas SA, Saudye H, Shea LD, Woodruff TK. Novel approach for the three-dimensional culture of granulosa cell-oocyte complexes. Tissue Eng. 2003 Oct;9(5):1013-21. PMID: 14633385.

Chapman SC, Woodruff TK. Betaglycan localization in the female rat pituitary: implications for the regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone by inhibin. Endocrinology. 2003 Dec;144(12):5640-9. Epub 2003 Sep 18.
PMID: 14500575

View all publications by publications by Teresa K. Woodruff listed in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed).