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. 2014 Dec 26;36(1):65–91. doi: 10.1210/er.2014-1079

Figure 5.

Figure 5.

Schematic diagram of the proposed development and repair of ovarian surface epithelium. A, In early fetal ovarian development, the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) in the hilum region is derived from the mesonephros, whereas the remaining surface of ovary is covered by GREL cells, which later differentiate to surface epithelial cells or granulosa cells. [Adapted from K. Hummitzsch et al: A new model of development of the mammalian ovary and follicles. PloS One. 2013;8:e55578 (31).] B, Flesken-Nikitin et al identified an ALDH-, LGR5-, LEF-1-, CD133-, and CK6B-expressing stem cell niche in the hilum region of adult mice ovaries, which is responsible for the OSE repair after ovulation and is susceptible to malignant transformation. [Adapted from A. Flesken-Nikitin et al: Ovarian surface epithelium at the junction area contains a cancer-prone stem cell niche. Nature. 2013;495:241–245 (136).] C, A recent study in adult mice identified LGR5-positive OSE stem cells not only in the hilum region but also along the remaining ovarian surface as small clusters, mainly near ovulating follicles and on the apical side of corpora lutea. [Adapted from A. Ng et al: Lgr5 marks stem/progenitor cells in ovary and tubal epithelia. Nat Cell Biol. 2014;16:745–757 (137).] Abbreviations: ALDH, aldehyde dehydrogenase; LEF1, lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1; CD133, cluster of differentiation 133; CK6B, cytokeratin 6B.