Fig. 2

Fetal ovary culture supports follicle formation and further development to the primary stage, as occurs in vivo. Representative histological sections of cultured E13.5 mouse ovary prior to (Ai), and after (Aii) 12 days of culture, compared with in vivo P4 mouse ovary (Aiii). At the end of culture, healthy primordial, transitional and primary follicles formed within cultured ovaries (Aii), morphologically highly similar to those found in uncultured ovaries of equivalently aged mice (P4) (Aiii). Despite a smaller number of follicles in cultured ovaries (Bi), very few follicles were unhealthy, with no difference compared to the percentage of unhealthy follicles found in in vivo ovaries (Bii), and with follicles present at developmental stages in ratios comparable to those present in P4 in vivo ovaries (Biii). Scale bars: 50 μm. Histogram bars denote mean ± SEM; n = 5 for all groups. Stars denote significant differences relative to control (**p < 0.01)