FOLLICLE GROWTH IN THE IMMATURE RAT OVARY

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Abstract
In ovaries of immature rats the following parameters were estimated from autoradiographs prepared after pulse labelling with 3H thymidine: the time it takes follicles to grow from 1 stage of development to another. This could be derived from the total number of granulosa cells in these stages and from their doubling times. The doubling time of granulosa cells was determined from their labeling index and the duration of their DNA-synthesis phase; the number of follicles present in the ovary at different ages; and the number of follicles, which start on their development at different ages. More follicles start to grow in 8 and 16 days old rats (2.0/h) than in 28 day old ones (1.0/h). The follicles grow somewhat faster earlier in life than later. The development from a follicle with 1 layer of granulosa cells to 1 with several layers and antrum formation takes about 15 days in the 1st half of the period of immaturity while it takes about 17 days as the animal approaches maturity.