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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): The Possible Roles of Apoptosis in Human Granulosa Cells

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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Part of the book series: Serono Symposia USA ((SERONOSYMP))

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was described by Stein and Leventhal (1) as a syndrome consisting of amenorrhea, hirsutism, and obesity in association with enlarged polycystic ovaries. In this syndrome, folliculogenesis is altered, which leads to the accumulation of many cysts rather than the selection of a single dominant follicle. In PCOS, developing follicles undergo atresia, presumably promoted by elevated androgen levels. The elimination of atretic follicles occur in the absence of tissue damage or inflammation, suggesting that programmed cell death may be the mechanism for this elimination process.

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Authors
  1. John Yeh
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  2. Helen H. Kim
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, 95816, Sacramento, CA, USA

    R. Jeffrey Chang M.D.

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Yeh, J., Kim, H.H. (1996). Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): The Possible Roles of Apoptosis in Human Granulosa Cells. In: Chang, R.J. (eds) Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Serono Symposia USA. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8483-0_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8483-0_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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