Transcriptome datasets of rat granulosa cells during gonadotropin induced folliculogenesis

Ovarian folliculogenesis was induced in four-week-old female rats by administration of exogenous gonadotropins, PMSG, and hCG. Granulosa cells were isolated from the ovaries before the gonadotropin injection, 48h after PMSG administration, and 4h after hCG injection to PMSG treated rats. Whole transcriptome of granulosa cells was assessed by RNA-sequencing on an Illumina HiSeq X platform and RNA-seq data were analyzed by using CLC Genomics Workbench. Gonadotropin induced genes in granulosa cells were identified by comparing the PMSG- or hCG-induced transcriptome data with those without gonadotropin treatment. hCG-induced transcriptome of granulosa cells was further compared with the PMSG-induced transcriptome. These differentially expressed genes can be used to identify the rat granulosa cell genes that are important for gonadotropin-induced ovarian follicle maturation.