Morphological and morphometrical characterization, and estimation of population of preantral ovarian follicles from senile common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus)

The experiment described the morphological and morphometrical characteristics as well as estimate the population of primordial, primary and secondary ovarian follicles from common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus). Ovaries (n = 10) from five senile squirrel monkeys were collected after natural death and processed for classical histology. The mean ovarian population was estimated as 915.04 ± 78.83, 230.46 ± 20.82 and 115.88 ± 15.72 primordial, primary and secondary follicles per ovary, respectively. 73.30% were classified as primordial, 18.62% as primary, and 8.09% as secondary follicles. From all these developmental stages, the mean diameters of follicles, oocytes, oocytes nuclei and the mean number of granulosa cells were described. The number of granulosa cells surrounding normal primordial follicles (5.65 ± 0.001) was lower (P < 0.05) than the number of granulosa cells (13.17 ± 0.02) surrounding the primary follicles. Secondary follicles presented the highest (P < 0.001) number of granulosa cells surrounding each oocyte (273.73 ± 20.80). We have estimated the follicular population, as well as described the morphometric and morphological characteristics of preantral follicles from senile squirrel monkeys, which may be a valuable animal model for female ovarian aging studies.