Ovary

The ovaries are anchored in place by connective tissue, including the ovarian ligament and the suspensory ligament. The ovarian ligament anchors the ovary medially to the uterus. The suspensory ligament anchors the ovary laterally to the pelvic wall.

Each ovary has two regions. The ovarian cortex is the outer region of the organ that contains the egg cells, known as oocytes. These oocytes are encased by cells, and the entire structure is called a follicle. The ovarian medulla is the central core of the ovary, consisting of loose connective tissue, blood and nerve supply.

During a female’s reproductive years, some follicles in the ovarian cortex undergo a cyclic change called the ovarian cycle. During this cycle, some of the follicles mature and one will release an egg cell, an event called ovulation. Each released egg cell has potential to become fertilized, and develop into a new organism.

Ovarian follicles are also a major source of the female sex hormones, estrogen and progesterone.

Figure 1: Illustration of a single ovary including the medulla and the cortex. Inside the ovary are egg cells of different stages of maturation.