Ovary
Internal reproductive organs of human female
Latin	ovarium
Gray's	subject #266 1254
Artery	ovarian artery, uterine artery
Vein	ovarian vein
Nerve	ovarian plexus
Lymph	lumbar lymph nodes
MeSH	Ovary
Dorlands/Elsevier	o_09/12603251

An ovary is an ovum-producing reproductive organ found in female organisms. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Gray's Anatomy the Respiratory apparatus ( Apparatus Respiratorius Respiratory system Respiratory apparatus Arteries are Blood vessels that carry blood away from the Heart. In Human anatomy, the ovarian artery is a Blood vessel that supplies Oxygenated blood to the Ovary. The uterine artery is an Artery in females that supplies blood to the Uterus. In the Circulatory system, a vein is a Blood vessel that carries Blood back toward the Heart (as opposed to Artery, a blood vessel The ovarian vein, the female Gonadal vein, carries deoxygenated blood from its corresponding ovary to Inferior vena cava or one of its tributaries A nerve is an enclosed cable-like bundle of peripheral Axons (the long slender projections of Neurons. In the female the ovarian plexus arises from the Renal plexus, and is distributed to the Ovary, and fundus of the Uterus. The lymphatic system in Vertebrates is a network of conduits that carry a clear fluid called Lymph. The lumbar lymph nodes (paraaortic nodes are a group of Lymph nodes residing in the Lumbar region Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH) is a huge Controlled vocabulary (or metadata system for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books Elsevier, the world's largest Publisher of Medical and Scientific literature, forms part of the Reed Elsevier group Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells It is often found in pairs as part of the vertebrate female reproductive system. Vertebrates are members of the Subphylum Vertebrata, Chordates with backbones or spinal columns The grouping sometimes includes The reproductive system is a system of organs within an Organism which work together for the purpose of Reproduction. Ovaries in females are homologous to testes in males. In Evolutionary biology, homology has come to mean any similarity between characters that is due to their shared ancestry. The testicle (from Latin testiculus, diminutive of testis, meaning "witness" virility plural testes) is the male The term gonads refers to the ovaries in females and testes in males. The gonad is the organ that makes Gametes The gonads in males are the Testes and the gonads in Females are the Ovaries.

Human anatomy

Ovaries are oval shaped and, in the human, measure approximately 3 cm x 1. 5 cm x 1. 5 cm. The ovary (for a given side) is located in the lateral wall of the pelvis in a region called the ovarian fossa. The Ovary lies in a shallow depression named the ovarian fossa, on the lateral wall of the Pelvis. The fossa usually lies beneath the external iliac artery and in front of the ureter and the internal iliac artery. The external iliac Artery is a large artery in the pelvic region that carries blood to the Lower limb. In human Anatomy, the ureters are muscular ducts that propel Urine from the Kidneys to the Urinary bladder. The internal iliac artery (formerly known as the hypogastric artery) is the main Artery of the Pelvis.

Each ovary is then attached to the Fimbre of the Fallopian Tube. Usually each ovary takes turns releasing eggs every month; however, if there was a case where one ovary was absent or dysfunctional then the other ovary would continue providing eggs to be released.

Ligaments

In the human the paired ovaries lie within the pelvic cavity, on either side of the uterus, to which they are attached via a fibrous cord called the ovarian ligament. The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the The ovarian ligament (also called the utero-ovarian ligament or proper ovarian ligament) is a fibrous Ligament that connects the Ovary to the The ovaries are uncovered in the peritoneal cavity but are tethered to the body wall via the suspensory ligament of the ovary. The peritoneal cavity is a potential space between the parietal Peritoneum and visceral peritoneum The suspensory ligament of the ovary, also infundibulopelvic ligament (commonly abbreviated IP ligament or simply IP) is a fold of Peritoneum The part of the broad ligament of the uterus that covers the ovary is known as the mesovarium. The broad ligament of the uterus is the wide fold of Peritoneum that connects the sides of the Uterus to the walls and floor of the Pelvis. The mesovarium is the portion of the Broad ligament of the Uterus that covers the ovaries.

Extremities

There are two extremities to the ovary:

• The end to which the uterine tube attach is called the tubal extremity. The Fallopian tubes, also known as oviducts, uterine tubes, and salpinges ( singular salpinx) are two very fine tubes lined with ciliated
• The other extremity is called the uterine extremity. It points downward, and it is attached to the uterus via the ovarian ligament. The uterus (from the Latin word for womb) is the major Female reproductive organ of most Mammals including Humans One end the

ovary not covered by perotenium

Histology

Section of the ovary of a newly born child. Germinal epithelium is seen at top. Primitive ova are seen in their cell-nests. An oocyte, ovocyte, or rarely ocyte, is a female Gametocyte or Germ cell involved in reproduction. The Genital cord or genital ridge is still discernible in this young child. In Embryology, the gonadal ridge (or genital ridge) is the precursor to the Gonads. A blood vessel and an ovarian follicle is also seen

• The outermost layer is called the germinal epithelium. Ovarian follicle is the basic unit of female reproductive biology and is composed of a roughly spherical aggregations of cells found in the Ovary. The surface of the Ovary is covered by a layer of Simple cuboidal cells which constitutes the germinal epithelium of Waldeyer
• The tunica albuginea covers the cortex. On the surface of the Ovary this tissue is much condensed and forms a layer the tunica albuginea, composed of short Connective-tissue fibers with fusiform cells
• The ovarian cortex consists of ovarian follicles and stroma in between them. In Anatomy and Zoology the cortex ( Latin: "bark" "rind" "shell" or "husk" is the outermost (or "superficial" Ovarian follicle is the basic unit of female reproductive biology and is composed of a roughly spherical aggregations of cells found in the Ovary. The stroma of the Ovary is a peculiar Soft tissue, abundantly supplied with Bloodvessels, consisting for the most part of spindle-shaped cells with a small Included in the follicles are the cumulus oophorus, membrana granulosa (and the granulosa cells inside it), corona radiata, zona pellucida, and primary oocyte. At one part of the mature follicle the cells of the Membrana granulosa are collected into a mass which projects into the cavity of the follicle The larger Ovarian follicles consist of an external fibrovascular coat connected with the surrounding Stroma of the ovary by a net-work of bloodvessels and an internal coat A granulosa cell is a Somatic cell found closely associated with the developing female Gamete (called an Oocyte or egg For the structure in Neuroanatomy, see Corona radiata. The corona radiata surround an Ovum or unfertilized egg cell and consist The zona pellucida (or zona striata in older texts is a Glycoprotein membrane surrounding the Plasma membrane of an Oocyte. An oocyte, ovocyte, or rarely ocyte, is a female Gametocyte or Germ cell involved in reproduction. The zona pellucida, theca of follicle, antrum and liquor folliculi are also contained in the follicle. The zona pellucida (or zona striata in older texts is a Glycoprotein membrane surrounding the Plasma membrane of an Oocyte. The theca folliculi comprise a layer of the Ovarian follicles They appear as the follicles become Tertiary follicles The theca are divided into two layers the The follicular antrum is the portion of an Ovarian follicle filled with Liquor folliculi. Follicular fluid is a liquid which fills the Follicular antrum and surrounds the Ovum in an Ovarian follicle. Also in the cortex is the corpus luteum derived from the follicles. The corpus luteum ( Latin for "yellow body" (plural corpora lutea) is a temporary Endocrine structure in mammals involved in production of
• The innermost layer is the ovarian medulla. The medulla of ovary (or Zona vasculosa of Waldeyer) is a highly vascular stroma in the center of the Ovary. It can be hard to distinguish between the cortex and medulla, but follicles are usually not found in the medulla.

Pathology

• If the egg fails to release from the follicle in the ovary an ovarian cyst may form. An ovarian cyst is any collection of fluid surrounded by a very thin wall within an Ovary. Small ovarian cysts are common in healthy women. Some women have more follicles than usual (polycystic ovary syndrome), which inhibits the follicles to grow normally and this will cause cycle irregularities. Polycystic ovary syndrome abbreviated PCOS or PCO (also known clinically as Stein-Leventhal syndrome, Sclerocystic ovary syndrome, Hyperthecosis
• Ovarian cancer
• Hypogonadism

Additional images

Uterus and uterine tubes	Organs of the female reproductive system. Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from an Ovary. The cancer most commonly forms in the lining of the ovary (resulting in epithelial Hypogonadism is a medical term for a defect of the Reproductive system that results in lack of function of the Gonads ( ovaries or testes)	Ovary	An ovary about to release an egg.
Vessels of the uterus and its appendages, rear view.	Broad ligament of adult, showing epoöphoron.	Uterus and right broad ligament, seen from behind.	Female pelvis and its contents, seen from above and in front.
Arteries of the female reproductive tract: uterine artery, ovarian artery and vaginal arteries. The uterine artery is an Artery in females that supplies blood to the Uterus. In Human anatomy, the ovarian artery is a Blood vessel that supplies Oxygenated blood to the Ovary. The vaginal artery is an Artery in females that supplies blood to the Vagina.

References

External links

• [1] From the American Medical Association
• [2] Merck Online Medical Library: Female Reproductive System

See also

• Oophorectomy
• Menopause
• Ovum
• Corpus luteum
• Cervix
• Vagina