Figure 2.

Sectioned ovary of an elephant fetus at 11 months of gestation.a) Section from the surface epithelium to the central medulla showing small follicles throughout the cortex (small black arrows). The cortico-medullary border is indicated by a white arrow. In the medulla black arrows mark groups of pre-antral follicles while the smaller headed white arrows show areas of interstitial tissue (Scale bar = 500 μm). b) A higher magnification of the cortex and cortico-medullary border (indicated by the white arrow). Small follicles within the cortex are indicated by small black arrows and growing follicles within the medulla by the larger black arrow (Scale bar = 250 μm. c) The surface epithelium of the ovary consisted of a monolayer of cuboidal cells and in places, juxtaposed to these epithelial cells were cells with the size and appearance of oogonia (black arrows; Scale bar = 20 μm). c) Early primary follicles showing the typical prolate shape (Scale bar = 40 μm).