Figure 3.

Lacking of miR-29a/b₁ impairs ovulation in females. (A) Numbers of oocytes and 2-cell embryos in wild-type and miR-29a/b₁ KO mice during natural ovulation (n=5). (B) Histological sections of ovaries stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) in wild-type and miR-29a/b₁ KO mice. Corpora lutea (CLs) and follicles at different stages are shown at higher magnification and denoted with arrows. a: Primordial follicles; b: Primary follicles; c: Secondary follicles; d: Antral follicles; e: Corpora lutea. (C) Numbers of follicles at different stages in ovaries from wild-type (n=10) and miR-29a/b₁ KO (n=12) mice. Primordial follicles: p=0.8931; Primary follicles: p=0.9802; Secondary follicles: p=0.6842; Early antral follicles: p=0.5645; Antral follicles: p=0.8011; Preovulatory: p=0.5081, respectively. (D) Lack of corpora lutea in the ovaries of miR-29a/b₁ KO females (p<0.0001). ****p < 0.0001.