A histopathological, cytochemical and morphometrical study of the androgenic polycystic ovary

The authors studied histopathologically, cytoenzymologically and morphometrically 64 cases of androgenic polycystic ovaries. The distinctive sign disclosed was a marked hyperplasia of theca interna. The mean values of this latter in the androgenic polycystic ovaries was of 87 mu +/- 19 as compared to that of 75 mu +/- 18 found for theca interna in the ovarian follicular cysts unaccompanied by endocrine symptoms. Large lipid-rich cells--the so-called androgenic cells--were often present in the polycystic ovary. Cytoenzymologically a high activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was assayed in theca interna and in the androgenic paralutein cells, while the lowest activity was shown by the 3beta-ol-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase.