FOLLICULAR FLUID CONCENTRATIONS OF INSULIN‐LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 1, EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR, TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR‐ALPHA AND SEX‐STEROIDS IN VOLUME MATCHED NORMAL AND POLYCYSTIC HUMAN FOLLICLES

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Abstract
Thirty‐three samples of follicular fluid (FF) were collected from 14 patients with the polycystic ovary (PCO) syndrome and matched for FF‐volume with small follicles collected from subjects with normal ovaries. The median (range) FF concentration of insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF1) in the group with PCO, 0.42 (0.13‐1.20) U/ml was significantly higher than that of the controls, 0.33 (0.04‐0.59) U/ml. All samples tested had < 1 ng/ml of FF‐epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor‐alpha (TGF‐α). The patients with PCO syndrome (PCOS) had similar FF‐testosterone (T) and FF‐progesterone (P) concentrations to volume matched controls, but significantly higher levels of FF‐androstenedione (AD) and lower FF‐oestradiol (E2). These results suggest that the granulosa cells within the polycystic follicle have a functional defect in their aromatase enzyme complex.

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