Follicle-stimulating hormone-responsive cytoskeletal genes in rat granulosa cells: Class I β-tubulin, tropomyosin-4, and kinesin heavy chain

FSH regulates gene expression for granulosa cell differentiation and follicular development. Therefore, FSH-responsive genes are crucial, but only a few genes have been identified for the early stage of follicular development. In particular, little is known about cytoskeletal genes, which likely play essential roles in the morphological changes such as the antrum formation, a major landmark. FSH is also known to induce the differentiation of an immature, undifferentiated rat ovary granulosa (ROG) cell line. Our data show that FSH induced massive yet distinct reorganization of microtubules and the actin cytoskeletons as well as morphological changes. To identify those genes responding to FSH during the differentiation, differential display was performed on ROG cells. Of the 80 FSH-responsive genes identified, there were three cytoskeleton-related genes (class I β-tubulin, tropomyosin 4, and kinesin heavy chain), which are crucial for intracellular morphogenesis, transport, and differentiation. Northern blo...