Studies of the dynamic changes in the ovarian follicular basal lamina

为了使卵巢能够释放卵子并产生雌激素等激素，卵泡必须在卵巢内生长。每个卵泡含有一个卵子，当卵泡很大且充满液体时，它会破裂，在排卵过程中释放出液体和卵子。卵泡结构的一个关键部分是称为基底层的非细胞层。这个基底层包裹着内部细胞、卵子和卵泡中的液体。每个女性在出生前都有数百万个卵泡，在生育期有数万个卵泡，而在绝经期则没有。由于她一生中只排卵约500个，大多数卵泡在发育到排卵大小的过程中死亡。本项目将检查卵泡基底膜，以确定其在卵泡生长发育过程中的作用，以及卵泡何时死亡。这对许多患有多囊卵巢疾病的女性有重要的意义，她们的卵泡不能发育到完全的大小。我们将直接检查这些卵巢。这项研究对下一阶段的试管婴儿发展也很重要。

In order for the ovary to be able to release eggs and produce hormones such as oestrogen, follicles must grow within the ovary. Each follicle contains one egg and when the follicle is large and filled with fluid it can rupture, releasing the fluid and egg in the process of ovulation. A key part of the structure of the follicle is a non-cellular layer called the basal lamina. This basal lamina encapsulates the inner cells, the egg and the fluid in the follicle. Each women has millions of follicles prior to her birth, ten of thousands in her reproductive years, and none at the menopause. Since she only ovulates about 500 in her lifetime most follicles die during the process of growing to ovulatory size. This project will examine the follicular basal lamina in order to determine its role during follicle growth and development, and when follicles die. This has important implications for the many women who have polycystic ovarian disease, whose follicles fail to grow to full size. We will be examining these ovaries directly. The research also has importance in the next phase of IVF developments.