Developmental study on ovary of human foetuses

Abstract

IntroductionThe primary gonadal blastema within the genital ridge is formed by two types of somatic cells; cells segregated from the mesonephros and cells of the proliferating coelomic epithelium. The main objectives of the study are to observe the sequential changes of the germ cells and other somatic cells at different gestational ages of the foetal ovary and to look for any variations in its histogenesis. Method52 numbers of human foetuses of different gestational ages were dissected and ovaries were removed. To study the cytoarchitecture, the specimens were fixed in neutral buffered formalin and were subjected to standard histological processing and routine haematoxylin and eosin staining as well as masson‘s trichrome stain. ResultsMaximum numbers of clusters of oogonium were found at 20th week of gestation, thereafter it gradually decreased in number till 40th week. Primordial follicles are formed as early as 14th week and it gradually increased as the age advanced. Primary follicle appeared at 24th week. Both antral and growing follicles were encountered from 38th week onwards. Interstitial cells were seen from 14th week, reaching peak at 22nd–24th week and very few of them were still seen at 40th week. Surface of the ovary is lined by simple cuboidal epithelium right from 14th week. Invaginating surface epithelial cells were also seen till 25th week. DiscussionThe detailed knowledge of the development of ovary may be helpful to the clinicians, particularly obstretrician and endocrinologist.