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Figure 5 | Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology

Figure 5

From: Novel methods of treating ovarian infertility in older and POF women, testicular infertility, and other human functional diseases

Figure 5

Cyclic formation of OSC, granulosa cells nests, and presence of new and resting primary follicles during midfollicular phase. A) Tunica albuginea (ta) fibroblasts (fb) type OSC precursors with CK immunoexpression (brown). Two cells in mesenchymal-OSCs epithelial transition (fb/osc) are apparent. B) Appearance of OSCs (osc) is associated with CK depletion (-fb). C) Formation of CK+ granulosa cell nests is initiated by a layer of OSC (white arrows) above upper ovarian cortex (uoc). This is overgrown by a developing flap of TA (ta flap or taf in insert) resulting in a bi-layered osc cord (black arrow). Inset shows two layers of the OSC channel. D) Detail of OSC flap with CK+ fibroblast type OSC precursors (fb/osc), and OSC development above the upper ovarian cortex (arched arrow). Arrowhead indicates the flap content of OSCs. E) A parallel section to (D) showing numerous DR+ MDC (asterisks) in the TA flap. Note DR expression in early OSC (arrow). F) Detail of OSC-cord from panel C shows CK+ epithelial cord. G) OSC flap (red arrowhead) over a segment of TA (dashed line) covered by OSC layer (red arrow). The OSC cord-derived granulosa cell clusters (black arrows) fragment into granulosa cell nests (black arrowheads). Dashed line indicates a segment of TA covered by OSC epithelium. H) Granulosa cell nests (black arrowheads) move by stromal rearrangements (arched arrow) to the lower ovarian cortex (loc) and form new primary follicles (white arrowhead) containing ZP+ oocytes. I) Lower ovarian cortex (loc) with new primary (right panel segment) and resting primary follicles (left). Right inset shows the presence of primary Balbiani bodies. Left inset shows lack of Balbiani bodies. Bar in (A), for (A and B), bar in (F) for (D-F). Adapted from Ref. [23]: © Antonin Bukovsky.

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