Human postmenopausal ovary--hormonally inactive fibrous connective tissue or more?

The ovary undergoes several changes after the menopause. In this period, the main structural changes in both the cortex and medulla were observed. In the cortex, they included: 1) reduction of its thickness; 2) epithelial inclusions forming cysts; 3) blurring the line between medulla and cortex; 4) reduction of follicles number; 5) tendency to fragmentation of corpora albicantia; 6) surface epithelium invaginations. Whereas the changes in the medulla included: 1) fibrosis and scars in stroma; 2) architectonical changes in blood vessels with hyalinization of walls and constriction of lumen. The loss of follicles and several changes in the ovary are due to apoptotic processes. Despite age related atrophic changes, the postmenopausal ovary is not devoid of hormonal activity. Our results are coherent with the reports of other researchers, and reveal that postmenopausal ovary produces trace quantities of steroid hormones, mainly androgens, and confirm the presence of steroid receptors and activity of main enzymes involved in steroidogenesis process.