A cytological study of the ovaries of the bats Myotis lucifugus lucifugus and Myotis grisescens

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Abstract
Ovaries of bats, Myotis lucifugus lucifugus and M. grisescens, have been studied in all phases, except gestation, of the annual reproductive cycle. Oocytes arise in the germinal epithelium and grow with an orderly differentiation of the storage products of metabolism—chondriosomes, fat drops, and yolk vesicles. The evidence indicates that the zona pellucida is derived from the oocyte. Squamous cells of the primary follicle become cuboidal and then columnar as follicular growth begins (unilaminar secondary stage). The secondary follicle becomes multilaminar and in a very few cases gives rise to a tertiary follicle by antrum formation. Most growing follicles undergo retrogression by one of two methods. Degeneration of type I is common in multilaminar follicles and begins in the granulosa which is almost completely obliterated before the oocyte is affected. Spindles occur in some of these oocytes and fragmentation is common; phagocytes eliminate the contents of the zona. In type II, which is rare and has been found only in unilaminar secondary follicles, the oocyte degenerates, leaving an uninjured granulosa. Medullary cords are common embryonic vestiges in these ovaries; epithelial nodules are less frequent. Interstitial cells are very numerous in newborn bats, arise throughout life from the hypertrophied thecae internae of retrogressing follicles of type I, are phagocytized and, also, undergo hyaline degeneration, are hypertrophied in late pregnancy, and continue so during lactation.