Surface ultrastructure of functional and nonfunctional human ovaries

Biopsies of human ovaries from functional and nonfunctional polycystic ovary patients 24 to 56 years of age were processed by critical point drying and viewed by scanning electron microscopy. The superficial epithelium was characterized by polyhedral-shaped cells with abundant evenly distributed apical microvilli with some intercellular connection and occasional solitary cilia. The fine structure modifications in the ovarian superficial epithelium (e.g., microvilli, blebs, ruffles, and micropapillae) reflect physiological changes in cell cycle or reproductive cycle. Dramatic changes were noted in the superficial epithelium of polycystic, atrophic, and sclerotic ovaries: distribution of microvilli, proportion of cells of different morphology, abundance of solitary cilia, blebbing, and the size of rufflings. In developing follicles, the granulosa cells were spherical and/or polyhedral in shape and in close contact. In atretic follicles, the granulosa cells were flattened and very irregular in shape without cytoplasmic evaginations. The loss of such evaginations within the atretic follicles may correspond to functional changes, e.g., inability to bind and respond to gonadotropic receptors. Follicles in polycystic ovaries were characterized by the disruption of the granulosa layer. Thus, areas of the follicle were devoid of any granulosa cells and appeared patchy, whereas the granulosa cells were irregular in size and shape.