Study of the Mast Cells Distribution and Heterogeneity in Experimentally Induced Cystic Ovaries in Rats

To determine the effect of high serum concentration of estradiol on mast cell distribution and heterogeneity in experimen- tallyinduced cystic ovary (CO), 56 mature female rats were subjected to study. Follow¬ing CO induction by unilaterally ligation of the ovarian artery, all rats were euthanized on days 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60, and the ovaries were collected. The blood samples were collected and serum samples were pre¬pared. The histological sections were stained with toluidine blue in order to determine the mast cell distribution. The observation dem¬onstrated that in test group mast cells were found in theca externa, theca interna, and cortex of the cystic ovaries. Observations also showed that mast cells were extensively located in the helium of the treated ovaries. These cells were in the group form closed to the blood vessels in endometrium of the uterine and uterine horns. Mast cells were located in the perimetrium around the blood vessels in the test groups. However, no mast cell observed in both theca interna and theca externa of the follicles in control group. The mast cells distribution in the helium of the control group was significantly (P<0.01) less than that test group. Moreover, no mast cell demonstrated in the cortex of the control group. Hormonal analysis showed that there are significant decline in the progesterone and FSH concentrations and increase in the estrogen and LH levels of the serum in CO group. This finding confirmed the hormonal changes in CO condition and may suggest that mast cells are involved in CO induction. It could be also concluded that there should be a sort of mutual effects on hormonal changes and the mast cells distribution in CO cases. Moreover, it might be suggested that mast cell number increasing in cortex of the ovary could be counted as a biomarker indicating a cystic condition.