Abstract
Morphological observation was made on the kind of blood follicles developed by the superovulation treatment in rabbit ovaries and on the changes of the follicles during the course of atrophy. Following is the results:
1. In the ovaries immediately after the superovulation treatment, a lot of well-developed follicles and blood follicles appeared, the latter showing different degrees of hemorrhage. Well-developed follicles disappeared within 7 days after the treatment, while blood follicles remained as long as 30 days after the treatment.
2. Histologically, the blood follicles were divided into two types: cystic blood follicles and luteinizing blood follicles. Immediately after the treatment, there also appeared blood follicles having intact granulosa cells, which seemed to be transformed into either cystic or luteinizing follicles. Luteinizing blood follicles existed in the ovaries up to 15 days after the treatment, and then were transformed into hemosiderin-deposited interstitial glands. The hemosiderin pigment in these glands disappeared completely within 60 days after the treatment. Only a few interstitial glands existed in the ovaries just after superovulation treatment, through gradually increased thereafter. Follicular development was not observed.
3. Hemorrhagic erythrocytes gradually grew sudanophilic and PAS-reactive. The hemosiderin pigment at first appeared in the antrum near follicular membrane, but then infiltrated into perifollicular tissue. Accompanying the formation of interstitial glands, most of the hemosiderin pigments were deposited near the center of the interstitial gland. Hemosiderin-bearing interstitial glands contained more neutral fats and cholesterols than normal ones.
