In vitro culture of mammalian early ovarian follicles. Morphofunctional correlates and future perspectives.

In vitro growth culture systems of mammalian oocytes have been developed with the aims of studying regulative processes occurring during oogenesis and folliculogenesis, and of preserving fertility. Although in large mammals IVG technology does not still assure the co-ordinate development of both somatic and germinal cells and the production of high number of viable offspring, their improvement may represent an important therapeutic tool for restoring fertility in women undergoing premature menopause or cancer treatments. Morphological studies of in vitro grown follicles were not performed extensively, especially by means of scanning electron microscopy. In the present paper preliminary ultrastructural observations of in vitro cultured follicles are presented.