Culture of human granulosa cells from an in vitro fertilization program: effects of extracellular matrix on morphology and cyclic adenosine 3',5' monophosphate production.

Human GCs obtained from patients undergoing an IVF procedure and treated with CC, hMG, and hCG, lack cAMP responsiveness to hCG stimulation in vitro. After 48 hours in culture, recovery of cAMP production was significantly higher in hCG-stimulated cells grown on dishes coated with ECM than in cells grown on uncoated dishes. This difference correlated with a higher degree of morphologic differentiation of cells cultured on ECM. It is concluded that ECM provides superior culture conditions for the recovery of hormone-stimulated cAMP production and the maintenance of morphologic differentiation of preovulatory GCs from stimulated cycles.