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Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on October 21, 2004
Human Reproduction 2005 20(1):79-83; doi:10.1093/humrep/deh576
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Human Reproduction vol. 20 no. 1 © European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 2004; all rights reserved

Ovarian senescence in the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta)

S.M. Nichols1, B.D. Bavister1,2, C.A. Brenner1,2, P.J. Didier3, R.M. Harrison3 and H.M. Kubisch3,4

1 University of New Orleans, Department of Biological Sciences, New Orleans, 2 Tulane Institute for Reproductive Medicine, Center for Excellence in Women's Health, New Orleans and 3 Tulane National Primate Research Center, Covington, Louisiana, USA

4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Tulane National Primate Research Center, 18703 Three Rivers Road, Covington, LA 70433, USA. Email: kubisch{at}tpc.tulane.edu

BACKGROUND: A decline in fertility is evident in human females past their middle thirties. This ‘reproductive senescence’, marked by a sharp decline in pregnancy rates, may be attributed to reductions in numbers of available oocytes and their quality. Because Old World primates exhibit ovarian morphology and physiological control and timing of menstrual cycles closely resembling those of humans, the current study investigated the rhesus macaque as a potential model for human reproductive senescence. METHODS: Ovaries collected from females aged 1–25 years and divided into five age groups were analysed histologically. RESULTS: General ovarian morphology demonstrated significant changes as the females approached menopause. The proportions of primordial and primary follicles all demonstrated significant differences across age groups (primordial: 77.1, 79.9, 69.7, 62.9, 55.1%; primary: 21.5, 18.8, 28.5, 35.2, 43.1% for age groups 1 to 5 respectively; P<0.0001 for both). Samples from females approaching or undergoing the menopausal transition (aged 20–25 years) demonstrated evidence of ovarian senescence, having scattered and atretic follicles, low numbers of primordial follicles and reduced stromal tissue. CONCLUSION: This study supports the value of the rhesus monkey as a model for reproductive ageing because its ovary undergoes follicular reservoir depletion similiar to that seen in humans.

Key words: follicle/oocytes/ovary/primates/reproductive ageing


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