Follicular development in ovaries of zebu fetuses (Bos taurus indicus)

Abstract

In this study we utilized 36 samples from the ovaries of female fetuses (with three to eight months’ gestation) of the Nelore breed of zebus (Bos taurus indicus) in six separate groups with six samples each. For the histological and morphometric analysis, the ovaries were processed with paraplast and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. We analyzed the histological structures in different fetal stages, and measurements were taken of the maximum and minimum diameter, perimeter and area of primordial, primary and pre-antral follicles. It was concluded that: 1 – in fetuses with three months of pregnancy, the ovaries had primary follicles, 2 – from four months of pregnancy, the ovaries already contained primary follicles, 3 – the pre-antral and antral follicles emerged in ovaries of fetuses from six months of pregnancy, 4 – the highest averages for primordial and pre-antral follicles were obtained at seven months of pregnancy, returning to decline at eight months.

Keywords

• bovine
• fetuses
• histology
• morphometry
• ovaries