Microscopic features of ovary

Microscopic features of ovary

1. Objectives
•Microscopic Features Of Ovary

2. Microscopically, ovary consists of:
•Germinal layer
•Tunica albuginea
•Cortex
•Medulla

4. Germinal epithelium
•Covered by single layer of low cuboidal or
squamous cells
•Continuous with mesotheliumof the visceral
peritoneum
Tunica albuginea
•Lies beneath the germinal epithelium
•Dense connective tissue layer

5. Cortex:
•Contains ovarian follicles at various stages of
development.

6. Primordial follicles
•Primary oocyte in prophase stage of meiosis I
•surrounded by flat squamous follicular cells.

7. Primary follicle
•Primary oocyte enlarges in size.
•Stratified cuboidal layer of granulosa cells resting on
basement membrane.
•Layer of glycoprotein, the zona pellucidabetween
granulosa cells and oocyte.
•Theca cells: Stromal cells outside the granulosa cells
Theca externa: Outer layer of connective tissue
: capsule of follicle
Theca interna: Vascularized layer of cuboidal
secretory cell.

9. Secondary Follicle
•Oocyteenlarges reaching its full size.
•Fluid filled space appears : antrum

10. Mature Follicle (Graafianfollicle)
•Primary oocyte completes its 1
st
meiotic division and becomes
a secondary oocyte.
•Follicular antrum enlarges.
•Oocyte lies eccentrically in the follicle.

11. Corpus Luteum
•Collapsed and folded mass of glandular epithelium.
•Consists of:
Granulosa cells-light staining granulosa lutein cells
Theca interna-darker staining theca leutincells
•No fertilization-Corpus albicans.

12. References

13. Ovarian Medulla
Located in the central portion of the ovary.
•Contains loose connective tissue.
•Blood vessels, lymphatics and nerves.
•Hiluscells( similar to interstitial cells of testis).

14. References
•Histology A Text and Atlas, Ross and Pawlina, 6
th
edition, 2011, chapter 23(page no:831-845)
•diFore’sAtlas Of Histology,VictorP.
Eroschenko,12
th
edition, 2013, chapter 21(page no: 505-
519)