Transcriptome analyses of ovarian stroma: tunica albuginea, interstitium and theca interna

The ovary has specialized stromal compartments, including the tunica albuginea, interstitial stroma and theca interna, which develops concurrently with the follicular antrum. To characterize the molecular determinants of these compartments, stroma adjacent to preantral follicles (pre-theca), interstitium and tunica albuginea were laser microdissected (n = 4 per group) and theca interna was dissected from bovine antral follicles (n = 6). Four compartments of bovine ovarian stroma were selected for analysis. Tunica albuginea, interstitial stroma and stroma close to follicles were collected by lasercapture microdissection (n=4 for each group). Theca layer samples were collected by follicle dissection of healthy small antral follicles (< 5mm). Thecal samples were from individual follicles and animals, whereas tunica albuginea, interstitial stroma and stroma near the follicle were pooled from different animals.