Prenatal growth changes in ovary of Surti buffalo

Abstract

Ovaries of 62 foetuses from clinically healthy Surti buffalo were studied at 7 different phases of prenatal life, rangingfrom 35 to 305 days. The germinal ridge appeared at 36 days of gestation. The gonadal tissuse differentiated into aperipheral cortex and central medulla by day 62. The cords of Pfluger and eggnests were evident by day 83. The primordial.primary, secondary and tertiary follicles appeared at day 98, 124, 158 and 191 respectively. The medulla revealed almostadult  type of appearence at day 158. The ovary was covered by flat type of surface epithelium mixed with cuboidal cellsduring 65 to 75 days of gestation which changed to columnar type at 158 days. Tunica albuginea appeared at 94 days anddifferentiated at day 166. The reticular and collagenous fibres were recorded at day 41 and 62 of gestation. The highestnumber of primordial and primary germ cells was recorded by 116 to 155 days. Number of secondary and tertiary folliclesincreased during 158 to 305 days of gestation. Towards the term, a gradual increase in average diameter of germ cells andtheir nuclei was noticed.