Recombinant Human Growth/differentiation factor 9 (GDF9)

Function

Required for ovarian folliculogenesis. Promotes primordial follicle development. Stimulates granulosa cell proliferation. Promotes cell transition from G0/G1 to S and G2/M phases, through an increase of CCND1 and CCNE1 expression, and RB1 phosphorylation. It regulates STAR expression and cAMP-dependent progesterone release in granulosa and thecal cells. Attenuates the suppressive effects of activin A on STAR expression and progesterone production by increasing the expression of inhibin B. It suppresses FST and FSTL3 production in granulosa-lutein cells

Subcellular Location

Secreted

Disease Association

[Altered GDF9 function may be involved in ovarian disorders and contribute to the likelihood of dizygotic twinning] | Premature ovarian failure 14 (POF14) : An ovarian disorder defined as the cessation of ovarian function under the age of 40 years. It is characterized by oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea, in the presence of elevated levels of serum gonadotropins and low estradiol. [The disease is caused by variants affecting the gene represented in this entry]

Tissue Specificity

Expressed in ovarian granulosa cells. Present in oocytes of primary follicles (at protein level)

Subunit

Homodimer or heterodimer (Potential). But, in contrast to other members of this family, cannot be disulfide-linked (By similarity)

• Schmutz J. et al. The DNA sequence and comparative analysis of human chromosome 5. — Nature (2004)
• The status, quality, and expansion of the NIH full-length cDNA project: the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC). — Genome Res. (2004)
• Aaltonen J. et al. Human growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) and its novel homolog GDF-9B are expressed in oocytes during early folliculogenesis. — J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. (1999)
• Yamamoto N. et al. Growth differentiation factor-9 inhibits 3'5'-adenosine monophosphate-stimulated steroidogenesis in human granulosa and theca cells. — J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. (2002)
• Yamamoto N. et al. PubMed: CI-AQ49F8FKO782J — J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. (2002)
• McMahon H.E. et al. Phosphorylation of bone morphogenetic protein-15 and growth and differentiation factor-9 plays a critical role in determining agonistic or antagonistic functions. — Endocrinology (2008)
• Huang Q. et al. Effects of growth differentiation factor 9 on cell cycle regulators and ERK42/44 in human granulosa cell proliferation. — Am. J. Physiol. (2009)
• Tibaldi E. et al. Golgi apparatus casein kinase phosphorylates bioactive Ser-6 of bone morphogenetic protein 15 and growth and differentiation factor 9. — FEBS Lett. (2010)