ABSTRACT
AIM:To investigate the effect of different low-dose mifepristone on apoptosis in granulosa cells and to test low-dose mifepristone as an orally contraceptive drug.METHODS:By using immunofluorescence,terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick end labelling(TUNEL)and flow cytometry technique,the nuclear morphologic features and ratio of apoptosis and fluorescent intensity of caspase-3 in granulosa cells cultured in vitro treated with different low-doses of mifepristone were observed,respectively.RESULTS:By the display of immunofluorescence,the granulosa cells in treatment group were classified as apoptotic cells on the basis of their morphologic features contained a single condensed chromatin,multiple nuclear fragments.The results of TUNEL showed significant difference between control group and groups treated with different concentration of mifepristone(P