Sex steroids and ovarian immune functions in hens - a review

Ovarian inununity is important for hygienic egg production and nomlal ovarian functions in poultry. Recent studies indicated the presence of macrophages, antigen presenting cells with major his to compatibility complex class II. T cell subsets and B cells in the ovary. The population of these immunocompetent cell in tile ovary increases during sexual matutation and decreases with aging thereafter. Probably the changes in the popwation of ovarian immunocompetent cells are affected by estrogen because stimulation by estrogenic compound increases their population. The decline of immunity with aging may be responsible for the increase of susceptibility to pathogenic agents in the ovary and may affect tile other ovarian functions including folliculogenesis. In this paper, effects of age and sex steroids on the ovarian immnunocompetent cell localization and significance of ovarian immunity in egg production will be discussed.