Abstract
The histochemistry of NADH and NADPH dehydrogenases has been studied in the ovary of the crossbred pig×wild boar, what is called "Inobuta", during the estrous cycle and at puberty. The surface epithelium and ovarian stroma showed strong NADH dehydrogenase and moderate NADPH dehydrogenase activities. In general, primary and growing preantra follicles showed moderate to strong activities of these enzymes. In antral follicles NADH dehydrogenase activity was moderate in the granulosa cells, very strong in the theca interna and very weak in the theca externa. The granulosa cells of follicles over 5mm in diameter showed more activity of this enzyme than those of smaller follicles. This enzyme activity in follicles varied little with respect to stages of the estrous cycle. The theca interna of antral follicles less than 2mm showed stronger NADPH dehydrogenase activity than the granulosa cells. In contrast, as observed in the pig ovary, this enzyme activity was stronger in the granulosa cells than in the theca interna of follicles over 2mm except at metestrus. The corpus luteum exhibited strong activities of these enzymes during metestrus and diestrus, but the corpus albicans during proestrus and estrus exhibited weak or moderate activities. There were little differences in these enzyme activities between the ovaries from cyclic animals and puberal animals. In general, the distribution and intensity of NADH dehydrogenase in the ovary of the crossbred pig×wild boar coincided to some extent with those of NAD-dependent dehydrogenases although the former had a wider distribution and higher intensity than the latter. Almost the same tendency was also observed between NADPH dehydrogenase and NADP-dependent dehydrogenase.
