Figure 12.

Ovarian follicle and corpora lutea counts for the subset (a-e) and end (f-j) sacrifice. (a-e) Young-VCD animals had fewer primordial, primary, secondary, and antral follicles compared to their Young-Vehicle controls at the subset time point. Middle-Aged-VCD animals had fewer primordial cells and marginally fewer primary cells compared to Middle-Aged-Vehicles, but did not differ from their Vehicle-treated counterparts for secondary or antral follicle counts at the subset time point. Animals did not differ in corpora lutea count, regardless of age or follicular depletion status, at the early follicular depletion time point. (f–j) Young and Middle-Aged VCD-treated animals had fewer primordial, primary, secondary, and antral follicle counts and fewer corpora lutea compared to their respective age-matched, Vehicle-treated controls, indicating that VCD treatment effectively depleted ovarian follicles. Middle-Aged Vehicle animals had marginally fewer primordial, and significantly fewer primary and secondary ovarian follicles than younger Vehicle-treated animals, but did not differ for antral follicle count or corpora lutea counts, at the end sacrifice time point, suggesting that rodents experience some follicular depletion with normal aging. (* = p<0.05; # = p<0.10).