The Initiation of Follicle and Oocyte Growth in the Mouse Ovary

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Abstract
The morphological and functional events which surround the initiation of oocyte and follicle growth in the mouse ovary are described. Oocytes of the nongrowing pool were active in RNA synthesis, having relatively low but significant levels of endogenous RNA polymerase activity. Nongrowing oocytes were surrounded by 2-8 follicle cells in the widest cross section. The initiation of oocyte growth was detected by an increase in oocyte nucleolar RNA polymerase activity at 9 follicle cells followed by an increase in oocyte area at 10 follicle cells. Subsequently, increases in nucleolar area, nuclear area and nucleoplasmic RNA synthesis occurred in that sequence.