Uterine Artery Interruption: Evidence for Follicular Growth and Histochemical and Biochemical Changes

Background: the present study was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of bi- lateral uterine artery ligation (bual) on the ovarian follicular fate, and alterations in carbohydrate, lipid, lipase and serum levels of f9sh, lh, prolactin, estrogen and progesterone. methods: twenty-four mature female rabbits divided into two test and control-sham groups. the animals underwent ovariohystrectomy on days 23, 43 and 63 after bual. later serum and tissue samples were processed for histological and bio- chemical analyses. two-way anova test was used for statistical analyses and p<0.05 was considered as significant. results: the ovaries from the case groups exhibited markedly increased atretic folli- cles, which were characterized by early antrum formation, ooplasmic vacoulation, granulosa cells dissociation and oocyte deformation. lipid foci were remarkably pre- sent in the cytoplasm of oocytes, granulosa and theca cells in bual rabbits. smaller sized atretic follicles showed higher lipid reactions than large ones. the pas reac- tion was highly positive in zona pellucida (zp), basement membrane, granulosa cells and follicular fluid of atretic follicles. early atresiated follicles showed remarkable reaction sites for lipase. significant (p<0.05) increase in serum levels of fsh, lh, progesterone, and prolactin was revealed in bual rabbits compared to the control group while serum levels of estrogen decreased time-dependently in the test groups. conclusion: the current study suggests the critical role of the uterine artery in con- trolling ovulation and follicular growth. moreover atresia processes might relate to lipid accumulation in the cells along with attenuation of lipase activity.