Validation of macroscopic classification of buffalo ovarian follicles in comparison to micromorphological criteria.

摘要

107 buffalo follicles were classed as atretic or non-atretic using a stereozoom microscope. Non-atretic follicles were uniformly bright and translucent and had extensive vascularization. Atretic follicles were opaque and poorly vascularized with empty blood vessels, detached membrana granulosa and free-floating particles in the antral cavity. Follicles which had lost their translucency and were slightly greyish in colour were classed as intermediate. 25.23% of follicles were classed as non-atretic,38.32% as intermediate and 36.45% as atretic. A piece of follicular wall was removed for histological examination and classification. The macroscopic appearance of follicles was strongly correlated with histological signs of atresia (0.71, P<0.01). 25.93% of follicles macroscopically classed as non-atretic were histologically classed as atretic and only 2.56% of follicles macroscopically classed as atretic were histologically classed as non-atretic. Of the follicles macroscopically classed as intermediate, 78.05% were atretic.