Transition of the resting primordial follicle to the growing primary follicle is a critical process for female reproduction, but its mechanism is poorly understood. The present study was conducted to investigate gene expression profile at the primordial-primary follicle transition process. We isolated total RNA of female mouse ovary at day1 (contains only primordial follicles) and day5 (contains primordial and primary follicles) and synthesized cDNA using annealing control primers (ACP; Seegene, Inc., Seoul, Korea). ACP provides annealing specificity and sensitivity to the template and allows to identify only authentic differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We used total 80 ACPs for PCR, observed PCR products on 2% agarose gel, cloned 42 DEGs using TOPO TA cloning vector, sequenced, and analyzed by BLAST search. Sequences of 34 clones significantly matched database entries while 4 clones were novel and 4 clones were EST. Two of 34 genes were specifically expressed only in day 5 ovaries (Sui1-rs1, Apg3p/Aut1p-like), and rest of 32 genes were expressed in both stages but were differential in amount. Differential expression was confirmed using semiquantitative RT-PCR, and there was no false positive. Anx11 and Pepp2-pending were highly expressed genes in day1-, while BPOZ, Ches1, Kcmf1, NHE3, Nid2, Ninj1, SENP3 and Survivin were highly expressed genes in day5-ovary. List of genes would provide insight for further study of mechanism regulating primordial-primary follicle transition.

FSH는 미성숙 설치류의 난포성장을 촉진하며, 강소형성 난포의 퇴화비율을 감소시킨다. 본 연구는 미성숙 생쥐에 난포성숙호르몬을 투여한 후 유발되는 난포의 조직학적인 변화를 규명하기 위해 시행되었다. 3주령의 ICR생쥐에 10 i.u.의 재조합 난포자극호르몬을 복강주사한 후 1일, 2일, 3일에 좌측 난소의 조직학적 변화를 관찰하였다. 강소형성전 난포의경우 FSH처리 후 시간에 따라 퇴화난포의 비율이 증가하였으나 강소형성 난포의 경우에는 유의한 변화를 보