LYMPHATIC CAPILLARIES IN RABBIT OVARIES DURING OVULATION: AN ULTRASTRUCTURAL STUDY

Y Otsuki, S Magari, O Sugimoto

Abstract


The fine distribution and ultrastructural
changes of rabbit intraovarian lymphatics and
blood vessels were compared in specimens obtained
at accurately timed intervals after the
injection of human chorionic gonadotropin
(HCG).
At four and six hours after HCG injection,
edema was observed around blood capillaries
with a slight increase in the number of small
fenestrae in the theca intema. Edema around
the lymphatic capillaries in the theca extema
occurred a little later. The lymphatic capillaries
were markedly dilated with occasional wide
openings between adjacent cells. At this stage,
lysosome disappeared in the endothelial cells of
the lymphatic capillaries, and macrophages
with numerous peculiar lysosomes appeared
around the lymphatic capillaries and some of
them entered into the lumen. By eight hours
after HCG injection, the edema around the
lymphatic capillaries had disappeared. The
form and structure of the lymphatic capillaries
resumed their pre-injection appearance, but the
blood capillaries showed large gaps or perforations
in the endothelium.
At 11 and 18 hours after HCG injection,
blood capillaries had penetrated into the membrana
granulosa, but lymphatic capillaries had
not.
Thus, the lymphatics appear to be modified
at four and six hours after HCG injection and
these modifications are consistent with the
removal of edematous fluid.


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