Postdoctoral Fellow
Phone: 860-679-3476
Email: coowen@uchc.edu
I am a postdoctoral researcher in Cell Biology. My work in Dr. Jaffe’s lab focuses on luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) localization in mouse ovarian follicles. We previously determined that prior to the LH surge, the LHR is expressed heterogeneously in the outer mural granulosa cells. Using confocal microscopy of fixed and live ovarian follicles, I have determined that LHR expressing cells migrate inwards in response to LH. Currently, we are investigating the function of this migration and how it contributes to ovulation.
Immunofluorescent images of HA-LHR in fixed cryosections of ovarian follicles at different time points after kisspeptin injection to stimulate an endogenous LH surge. Mice were injected 44 hours previously with eCG to stimulate follicle growth. Before LH, the LHR expressing cells are in the outer mural granulosa cells. At 6 hours after kisspeptin injection, LHR expressing cells have migrated into the interior of the follicle, and at 10 hours after kisspeptin injection, the LHR expressing cells have migrated out of the apical region where ovulation will occur (white arrow). At 10 hours, the apical region has become much thinner, while the basal region has contracted. By 12 hours after kisspeptin injection, ovulation has occurred. Images are maximum projections of 10 confocal images taken at 1 µm intervals. Scale bar = 100 µm.
Recent Publications
Owen, C.M., Jaffe, L.A. 2025. Luteinizing hormone-induced changes in the structure of mammalian preovulatory follicles..pdf Current Topics in Developmental biology (in press).
Owen, C.M., Jaffe, L.A. (2024). Lutieinizing hormone stimulates ingression of mural granulosa cells within the mouse preovulatory follicle. Biology of Reproduction, 110 (2) 288–299.
(2021) Kisspeptin-54 injection induces a physiological LH surge and ovulation in mice. Biol Reprod. 104 (6), 1181-1183.
Baena, V., Owen, C.M., Uliasz, T.F., Lowther, K.M., Yee, S.-P., Terasaski, M., Egbert, J.E., and Jaffe, L.A. (2020). Cellular heterogeneity of the LH receptor and its significance for cyclic GMP signaling in mouse preovulatory follicles. Endocrinology 161 (7):bqaa074.
Egbert, J.R., Fahey, P.G., Reimer, J., Owen, C.M, Evsikov, A.V., Nikolaev, V.O., Griesbeck, O., Ray, R.S., Tolias, A.S., and Jaffe, L.A. (2019) Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone increase Ca2+ in the granulosa cells of mouse ovarian follicles.pdf. Biol. Reprod., 101(2), 433–444.