Organ Anatomy Assignment: Ovaries
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Introduction
The ovaries are one of the vital organs that make up the female reproductive system. The
ovaries are essential in the production of hormones, progesterone and estrogen, and formation of
oocytes. These hormones affect a female’s fertility, ability to become pregnant, and changes in
the body. Oocytes are small germ cells that are stored in the ovaries until they are ready to begin
formation as embryos.3 The ovaries play a key role in growth, behavior, immunology, and
various functions that are imperative to the development of the female reproductive system.
Size, Dimensions, Shape
The ovaries consist of 2 pairs located on each side of the uterus. They are small, oval
shaped glands. They measure 2.5 to 5 cm in length, 1.5 to 3 cm in thickness, and 0.7 to 1.5 cm in
width during the reproductive years.8 The size of the ovaries varies as a female individual gets
older and the body undergoes changes. They can be dependent on hormonal changes and
menstrual cycle.
Surface Anatomy/Landmarks
The ovaries are located in in the ovarian fossa, a small groove. Landmarks around the
ovaries include internal and external iliac vessels, the obturator nerve, ureter, and suspensory
ligaments.1
Boundaries/Relations
Organ Anatomy Assignment: Ovaries
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The ovaries are located on the right and left side of the uterus in the lower abdomen.
They are held in place by several muscles and ligaments in the pelvis. The ovarian ligament
connects the ovaries to the uterus, but they do not touch.8 The mesial side of the ovary is
surrounded by the mesosalpinx and the uterine tubules. The mesial side is in close proximity to
the ileum, caecum, and sigmoid. The ovarium hilum is on the mesovarium edge of the ovary,
close to the nerves and vessels. The bottom portion of the ovary has the tubal extremity.4
Parts/Divisions/Layers/Composition
The ovaries are comprised of the outer cortex and inner medulla. The cortex consists of
stroma that have follicles, corpora lutea, and corpora albicantia.8 Surface epithelium cover the
cortex. The medulla contains fibromuscular tissue and blood vessels. The ovarian ligament is
connected to the medial side of the ovary. Each ovary pair is attached to the pelvic wall by the
suspensory ovary ligament.8
Supporting Structures
The ovaries are supported by three types of ligaments: the suspensory, ovarian, and broad
ligaments.2 The broad ligament keeps the ovary suspended. It is secured by the nervous-vascular
pedicle and its ligaments.2 The ligamentum suspensorium ovarii has the strongest fixation point
on the tubal side of the ovary. The ligamentum ovarii propium also secures itself at an angle of
the uterus side of the ovary. The tubo-ovarian ligament fastens itself between the ovary and
uterine tube. The last ligament, mesovarium helps the vessels and nerves connect to the ovary.4
Surgical Access to Organ
Organ Anatomy Assignment: Ovaries
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When ovarian surgery is needed to be done, the ovaries are accessed through a horizontal
incision placed on the lower abdomen. A tube with a small camera can also be through the
incision made to have a closer view.7 Specialized tools are also used to separate ligaments if
needed.
Blood Supply/Drainage
The ovarian arteries allow the blood supply to the ovaries. Before the blood supply
reaches the ovarian arteries, it comes from the anterior surface of the abdominal aorta, which sits
below the renal and uterine arteries.8 The right ovarian vein will drain into the inferior vena cava,
while the left ovarian vein will drain in the left renal vein.8
Innervation
The ovaries most commonly innervate through the ovarian plexus and uterine plexus. The
ovarian plexus is related to the sympathetic innervation of the ovary and uterus fundus
innervation. The uterine plexus is responsible for the parasympathetic innervation.5
Lymphatic Drainage
The lymphatic drainage of the ovaries will start from the ovarian vessels leading to the
abdominal aorta. This will then drain into the paraaortic nodes.8 They are also able to drain from
the lateral vessels to the hypogastric nodes. Alternatively, they can also drain via the external
iliac and lymph nodes.5
Organ Anatomy Assignment: Ovaries
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Histology/Microscopic Anatomy
The ovaries are comprised of a capsule, cortex, and medulla. The capsule contains the
germinal epithelium and tunica albuginea, a dense layer of connective tissue. The cortex will
hold the follicles that will undergo different stages of development. The medulla will have the
connective tissues and nutrient vessels.6 When oocytes move through germinal epithelium, the
follicles rupture. As the oocyte follicles go through maturation, it will go through four stages:
primordial follicles, primary follicles, secondary follicles, and mature follicles.6 Primordial
follicles involve the oocytes surrounded by flattened follicular cells within a single later. In the
primary follicles stage, the oocytes produce the zona pellucida which helps them isolate from the
follicular cells. In the secondary follicles, the primary oocytes are engulfed by various layers of
the granulosa cells.6 As the oocytes reach maturation, an antrum, fluid-filled sac, will form with
the oocytes. Ovulation will be able to occur once the follicle ruptures and releases the secondary
oocyte.
Embryology; Developmental Anatomy
In an ovary’s embryo stage, it begins in the intermediate mesoderm. The ovary will find
its way to the medulla and cells will be produced from the dorsal endoderm.5 The cells will travel
to the gonadal ridge and form into granulosa cells. These will eventually become the follicles.
The ovaries become a part of mesoderm, or gubernaculum, which will connect to the uterus.5
Developmental Variants
Organ Anatomy Assignment: Ovaries
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With the ovaries, there are some diseases and disorder that can develop. Some common
diseases are polycystic ovary syndrome, ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and ovarian cancers and
tumors.9 Polycystic ovary syndrome is due to a hormonal imbalance in the ovaries, there is an
excess of androgens, male hormones. This can also lead to the formation of ovarian cysts, that
are growths will fluid-filled sacs. Endometriosis is due to an overgrowth of the uterine lining
forms on other parts of the body.9 Ovarian cancers and tumors may develop abnormal ovarian
cells rapidly form within the ovaries and fallopian tubes and spread throughout the abdomen and
other parts of the body.
Normal Organ Physiology
The ovaries play an important role in menstruation and conception. When the ovaries
produce eggs for fertilization, the ovaries will produce estrogen and progesterone.9 The ovaries
contain many ovarian follicles that will keep the eggs that have not matured. When the menstrual
cycle has been completed, the ovarian follicles will mature due to the hormone, follicle-
stimulating hormone, and produce ovulation.9 The ovarian eggs will migrate to the uterus, which
can lead to conception. If conception does not occur, the egg will breakdown and be reabsorbed
by the body.
Organ Anatomy Assignment: Ovaries
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References
1. Cummings, Michele, Orsi N.M., Baskind N.E. (2014) Pathology of the Ovary, Fallopian
Tube and Peritoneum: Anatomy, Development, Histology, and Normal Function of the
Ovary, Springer, London. https://link-springer-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4471-2942-4_1
2. Donahue-Taylor C. Salpingo-ovarian & peritoneal functional anatomy. Salpingo-
Ovarian & Peritoneal Functional Anatomy | SEER Training.
https://training.seer.cancer.gov/ovarian/anatomy/. Published November 2020.
Accessed October 31, 2021.
3. Findlay J.K., Dunning K.R, Gilchrist R.B, Hutt K.J, Russell Darryl L, Walters K.A,
(2018/19) The Ovary, Follicle Selection in Mammalian Ovaries. https://www-
sciencedirectcom.ezproxy.liberty.edu/science/article/pii/B9780128132098000017
#!
4. Frederic Martini, Robert Tallitsch, Judi Nath, ( 2017) , Human Anatomy ,9th edition,
Publisher: Pearson , ISBN: 978-0134320762.
5. Gibson E. Anatomy, abdomen and pelvis, ovary. StatPearls [Internet].
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK545187/. Published July 26, 2021.
6. Moore CW, Cotter JR. Female reproductive histology notes. Medical Histology Jacobs
School of Medicine. https://ubwp.buffalo.edu/histology/female-reproductive-
histology/. Published June 2019.
7. Robinson MW. Oophorectomy (ovary removal surgery). Mayo Clinic.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/oophorectomy/about/pac-
20385030. Published August 28, 2020.
8. Ovaries: Anatomy, function, Hormones & Conditions (no date) Cleveland Clinic.
Available at: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22999-
ovaries#:~:text=The%20ovaries%20are%20small%2C%20oval,egg%2C%20you%20can
%20become%20pregnant.
