Morphodynamics of the follicular-luteal complex during early ovarian development and reproductive life.

Female reproductive activity depends upon cyclic morphofunctional changes of the ovarian tissue during the female's fertile period, but the primum movens of an active gonadal rearrangement can be found from early phases of embryo development. To offer a basic account of the main steps of ovarian dynamics, we review the morphofunctional behavior of the follicular-luteal complex in an integrated study using light microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microscopy as well as through the use of numerous drawings. Particular emphasis is given to some reproductive aspects including (1) germ-somatic cell relationships and onset of folliculogenesis during early gonadal development; (2) follicular development and oocyte-follicle cell associations through adult folliculogenesis, finally leading to ovulation; (3) morphodynamics of corpus luteum formation, development, and regression, and (4) degenerative processes involving germ and somatic cells.

Distribution of collagen fibers in the aggregated lymphoid follicles of swine terminal ileum.

The arrangement of the collagen bundles was studied in the Peyer's patches of swine terminal ileum, by means of light microscopy (using silver-impregnation technique and picrosirius F3BA staining) and scanning electron microscopy (after NaOH-maceration). The lymphoid tissue forms a large and continuous patch along the antimesenteric border. The follicles are disposed mainly in the tela submucosa and sometimes they reached in the tunica mucosa surface (follicle/dome structures).

Three-dimensional microanatomical dynamics of the ovary in postreproductive aged women.

Objective: To evaluate the microanatomical dynamics of the ovary during postreproductive life.

Design: Retrospective, observational research study.

Setting: Institutional (university).

New advances in human embryology: morphofunctional relationship between the embryo and the yolk sac.

Organogenesis occurs during the first 8 weeks of human embryonic development; in consequence, early human growth and development take place before and in the absence of fully developed internal organs. During this period, normal development depends on several factors, but two are imperative: nutrition and a functional transport system for the distribution of nutrients and for waste disposal. The yolk sac (YS), a highly differentiated adnexal organ, is known to accomplish this fundamental task during early pregnancy.