Ultrastructure of Developing Granulosa and Theca Cells
The embryology of granulosa and theca cells is not understood thoroughly. Electron microscopic studies in the past have been concerned mainly with mature granulosa cells and less with their development.Material and Methods. Rat fetuses were removed surgically under ether anesthesia at 16-17, 17-18 and 18-19 days of gestation. Their abdominal cavities were opened, and the fetuses were placed immediately into 3% glutaraldehyde (pH 7.2) for 3 hours. During this time, the fetal ovaries were dissected under a microscope. The tissue was washed in phosphatebuffer for 24 hours, post-fixed in 1% phosphate buffered osmium tetroxide for 1-2 hours at 4°C, and embedded in Durcupan ACM (Fluka). Sections were double stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, and viewed in an RCA-EMU-3D electron microscope.