Kasuya K, Kawabuchi M
Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Ital J Anat Embryol. 1998;103(4 Suppl 1):183-9.
In atretic ovarian follicles, massive groups of apoptotically dead granulosa cells are eliminated by two kinds of phagocytic cells: intact granulosa cells and macrophages. Using mature guinea pig ovaries, this study further examined whether or not phagocytic cells are present in the growing follicles by means of light and electron microscopy. Within healthily growing follicles, small numbers of large round cells were found among the granulosa cells. By electron microscopy, the nucleus of the large cells appeared to be pushed aside by prominently expanded large cytoplasmic vacuoles together with abundant large and small lysosomes. These cells were identified as macrophages. This is the first report to demonstrate macrophages within the growing follicles of the guinea pig. The importance of the intrafollicular macrophages is suggested in connection with the dynamics of the follicle, such as its development and atresia.
在闭锁的卵巢卵泡中，大量凋亡死亡的颗粒细胞被两种吞噬细胞清除：完整的颗粒细胞和巨噬细胞。本研究利用成熟豚鼠卵巢，通过光学显微镜和电子显微镜进一步检查生长卵泡中是否存在吞噬细胞。在健康生长的卵泡内，在颗粒细胞中发现少量大的圆形细胞。通过电子显微镜观察，大细胞的细胞核似乎被显著扩张的大细胞质空泡以及大量大小不等的溶酶体挤到了一边。这些细胞被鉴定为巨噬细胞。这是首次报道在豚鼠生长卵泡内发现巨噬细胞。卵泡内巨噬细胞的重要性与卵泡的动态变化，如卵泡的发育和闭锁有关。
