Table 2.
Groups | Number of ovaries counted | Number of sections counted per ovary | Number of healthy follicles per ovary per animal (mean ± SEM) | Number of atretic follicles per ovary per animal (mean ± SEM)∗ | Total follicles per ovary per animal (mean ± SEM) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Young | 3 | 31 | 22097 ± 1243.0A | 400.7 ± 21.4A | 22498 ± 1264.0A |
Middle-aged | 3 | 33 | 12581 ± 512.7B | 534.7 ± 39.1B | 13115 ± 499.4B |
Old | 3 | 20 | 7.3 ± 2.3C | 2.7 ± 1.1C | 10.0 ± 1.3C |
∗Atretic follicles with no obvious oocytes were not counted. A, B, and C in each column indicate significant differences among groups (P < 0.001).