Follicle Ovarian

Ovarian follicle

The ovarian follicle (lat. folliculus - “skin pouch”) is a structure in the ovary in which the maturation of the egg (oocyte) occurs.

A follicle consists of an oocyte surrounded by layers of follicular cells. As the oocyte matures, the follicle increases in size and goes through several stages of development:

1. Primordial follicle is the earliest stage, the oocyte is surrounded by a single layer of squamous follicular cells.

2. Primary follicle - follicular cells increase in size and form several layers around the oocyte.

3. Secondary (mature) follicle - the follicle enlarges significantly, a cavity filled with follicular fluid is formed inside it. At this stage, ovulation occurs - the release of a mature oocyte from the follicle.

4. The de Graaff follicle is the remnant of a ruptured follicle after ovulation, which turns into the corpus luteum and produces hormones (estrogen and progesterone).

Thus, the ovarian follicle plays an important role in the reproductive function of the ovaries, ensuring the maturation and release of the egg for fertilization.

Ovarian follicles are part of the reproductive system in women. They are small sacs that contain eggs and play an important role in the menstrual cycle and the birth of children. In this article we will talk about what ovarian follicles are and how they work.

Follicles form in the ovaries before birth. Their number ranges from 200 to 400. With the growth and development of a person, the number of follicles decreases, and the remaining ones can undergo changes depending on the woman’s reproductive plans. All of them are formed in the second week of intrauterine life, but begin to be actively produced and developed only on the threshold of puberty (11-13 years). By the time a person reaches puberty (during hormonal changes upon entry into adulthood), the genitals contain about 40-50 functional follicles. During menstruation, only one of the follicles is released from each egg body - the one that develops faster. After the egg leaves the follicle, it begins to decrease in size. This occurs under the influence of estrogen, which is produced by the body in response to the release of the hormone FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) by the egg, which stimulates the growth of follicles and the production of estrogen. Follicular changes occur only during regular menstruation. During the cycle, follicles with a diameter of over 33 mm develop (microfollicles are included in this size because they are full-fledged, but non-functional formations with a size of about 0.1 mm). With the onset of puberty, the amount of testosterone in the blood begins to increase in teenage girls, which causes premature closure of most follicles (however, under certain conditions, abnormal maturation of the dominant follicle may occur). It is in this process that the dependence on hormonal status (phase of the menstrual cycle, ovarian size, dilatation of the venous plexuses and the degree of insulin resistance), the ability to conceive and the likelihood of developing ovarian pathology is manifested. AMH production is associated with a woman's testosterone concentration and plays an important role in interpreting changes in reproductive hormones in postmenopausal women. A separate story - the microfollicular region of the ovaries - the follicular depot of the organ or a local focus in patients with a diffuse form of endometrioid ovarian cysts or in combination