Fig. 5. Photomicrographs of sections of ovarian pieces stained with haematoxylin
and eosin. (A) Uncultured ovary at P0 containing oogonia (open arrowhead) and
primordial follicles (closed arrowhead). (B) P0 ovary cultured for 7 days,
which contains many growing, primary follicles with larger oocytes
(arrowhead). (C) P0 ovary cultured for 7 days in the presence of 100 nM K252a
(which inhibits oocyte survival). The ovary contains some oocytes and large
areas of cell death. (D) P0 ovary cultured for 7 days in the presence of 40 ng
ml1 bFGF contains many healthy follicles. (E) P0 ovary
cultured for 7 days in the presence of 100 nM K252a and 40 ng
ml1 bFGF. The ovary has been rescued from the effect of
K252a and contains many healthy follicles. (F) Uncultured ovary from E16.5
mouse containing oogonia (arrowhead) but no follicles. (G) E16.5 ovary
cultured in control medium for 4 days contains many follicles, all of which
are at the primary, growing stage with rounded granulosa cells (arrowhead).
(H) Ovary at P0, an equivalent age for the cultured ovary shown in G, with
follicles at the primordial, resting stage with flattened granulosa cells
(arrowhead). Scale bars: 20 µm.