Ovarian biopsies from five health adult monkeys were collected by exploratory laparotomy.
Preantral follicles (primordial, primary, and secondary) were classified as normal or
degenerated and submitted to morphometric analysis in which granulosa cell counts and the
areas of follicles, oocytes, and oocyte nuclei were measured. Ovarian fragments were also
immunolabelled for the quantitative analysis of VEGFA and CD31 protein expression in the
ovarian tissue and in the preantral follicles. In total, 213 preantral follicles was examined for
morphometry and morphological classification. From this total, 20 (9.4%) were follicles
enclosing two or more oocytes, i.e. multi-oocyte follicles (MOFs). From the 193 follicles
enclosing only one oocyte, 46.3% were classified as primordial, 24,1% as transition, 23.3% as
primary, and 6.3% as secondary follicles. The mean number of granulosa cells surrounding
primordial, transition, primary, and secondary follicles was 9.2, 12.1, 18.7, and 45.3,
respectively. Increase in oocyte diameter was observed from primary to secondary follicles,
while the oocyte nucleus increased only when follicles reached the secondary stage. The
expression of CD31 was strong in vessels, corpus luteum, and in normal oocytes and
granulosa cells from preantral follicles at all developmental stages. Likewise, VEGFA
expression was observed in vessels and preantral follicles (granulosa cells, the oocyte and the
oocyte nucleus). We characterized the morphology, and morphometry and expression of
angiogenic factors in normal and atretic preantral follicles from Sapajus apella. This
description can support the analysis of follicular quality and survival after procedures such as
transplantation and cryopreservation.
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