Gonads, Female: Cell Types Composing the Tissue

The female gonads, or reproductive organs, are situated in the ovarian fossa in the lateral wall of the pelvis on each side of the uterus as a pair of almond shaped ovaries. The ovaries are enclosed in a thick connective tissue, the tunica albuginea. This, in turn, is covered by a modified peritoneum, a single layer of simple squamous to cuboidal mesothelium, sometimes referred as germinal epithelium. The ovary is divided into a peripheral cortex and a central medulla. The cortex consists of a compact, richly cellular connective tissue stroma in which are scattered spherical bodies called ovarian follicles. The cortical stromal connective tissue is largely composed of spindle-shaped fibroblasts arranged into a characteristic whorl texture. The medulla consists of loose connective tissue, which contains ...