[The primordial follicle: outline of a portrait].
Ovarian primordial follicles present original features of quiescence and long survival. Follicular growth is triggered by withdrawal of inhibitory mechanisms maintaining the quiescence and supported by a finely tuned molecular dialogue between the oocyte and its surrounding granulosa cells. The reserve of primordial follicles is oversized and functionally heterogeneous. Different spatiotemporal components can account for this heterogeneity.
Monniaux
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UMR 6175 INRA-CNRS, physiologie de la reproduction et des comportements, centre INRA de Tours, université de Tours-Haras nationaux, 37380 Nouzilly, France. dmonniaux@tours.inra.fr
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*