Anatomy Of Ovaries

 DEVELOPMENT:

• Formation of primary ovary in female foetus takes place by 10th week
• Coelomic epithelium on medial side of the mesonephros becomes thickened to form genital ridge, the site where ovary develops.
• Genital ridge is covered by germinal epithelium (previous coelomic epithelium). From these germinal epithelium, cords of cells (sex cords or medullary cords) proliferate and grow into the underlying mesoderm.
• Primordial germ cells which are developed from endodermal cells of hindgut (part of yolk sac), migrate to region of developing ovary (genital ridge area) and give rise to oocytes.
• The sex cords become broken up into small masses. The cells of each mass surround one oocyte to form primordial follicle.
• At birth each ovary contains about 2 million primary follicles.

RELATION:

• POSTERIOR:Attached to the back of the broad ligament by mesovarium.
• LATERAL: Fossa below the bifurcation of the common iliac artery and the ureter
• MEDIALLY:Fimbria of the fallopian tube

BORDERS:

• Anterior border: (Mesovarian border) is straight and related to fallopian tube and obliterated umblical artery.Attached to posterior surface of broad ligament of uterus by mesovarium and forms the hilus of ovary.
• Posterior border :Free border is convex and is related to fallopian tube and ureter.

ATTACHMENTS:

• Cornu of the uterus by the ovarian ligament
• The suspensory ligament attaches the ovary to the pelvic wall and carries within its folds the main portion of the ovarian vessels and nerves.

COMPONENTS:

The ovary has 3 components;

• Surface: The surface layer of the ovary is formed by simple cuboidal epithelium, known as germinal epithelium.
• Cortex: The cortex (outer part) of the ovary is largely comprised of a connective tissue stroma. 
  • It supports thousands of follicles. 
  • Each primordial follicle contains an oocyte surrounded by a single layer of follicular cells.

Medulla: 

• The medulla (inner part) is composed of supporting stroma and contains a rich neurovascular network which enters the hilum of ovary from the mesovarium.
• Cells found in the interstitium of the ovary that resemble steroid secreting cells and may secrete androgens in the human ovary are Ovarian hilar cells

BLOOD AND NERVE SUPPLIES:

• The ovaries receive blood from paired ovarian arteries, which arise directly from the abdominal aorta, below the renal artery.
• Venous drainage is achieved by a pair of ovarian veins. The left ovarian vein drains into the left renal vein, and the right ovarian vein drains directly into the inferior vena cava.
• Lymph from the ovaries drains into the Preaortic & para-aortic nodes.
• The ovaries receive sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibres from the ovarian and uterine (pelvic) plexuses, respectively
• The nerve supply of the ovaries arises from T10.

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