Regulation of Ovulation in the Domestic Hen

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Ovulation is a universal phenomenon in the animal kingdom. However, this process is poorly understood. It is known that a hormone, luteinizing hormone (LH), produced by the pituitary induces a number of changes in the follicular wall which results in a rupture of this wall and release of the egg or ovum. The follicular wall consists of a thick matrix which must be degraded to permit ovulation. To facilitate ovulation, the follicular wall has a specialized region called a stigma in which the fibers are arranged in a parallel manner. Based on studies in others species, it is hypothesized that enzymes, such as tissue plasminogen activator and collagenase, either dissociate or degrade the fibers in the stigma region. The purpose of this study is to measure the activities of these two key enzymes in the follicle as it ap- proaches ovulation. Knowledge obtained from these studies will promote an understanding of the mechanisms by which LH brings about time controlled changes in the follicular wall so that ovulation occurs at a predictable time. //