PHA is a lectin extracted from
Phaseolus vulgaris, which bind to complex oligosaccharide
containing N-acetylgalactosamine/galactose residues and
is involved in cell to cell communication (Sell and Costa,
2003). Since paracrine communication between the oocyte
and its enveloping granulosa cells is important for primordial follicle activation, it is hypothesized that PHA improves
this activation and reduces the levels of atresia in cultured
primordial follicles from healthy and infected goats. Follicular atresia occurs via apoptosis after binding of death
ligands, including tumor necrosis factor alfa (TNF) to specific receptors (Hsu et al., 1996; Van Wezel et al., 1999)