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Fig. 6 | Stem Cell Research & Therapy

Fig. 6

From: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells combined with gonadotropin therapy restore postnatal oogenesis of chemo-ablated ovaries in rats via enhancing very small embryonic-like stem cells

Fig. 6

Representative photomicrographs of hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections of the different experimental groups. a Group I (control group) showed the germinal epithelium (thin arrow), primordial follicles (arrowheads), unilaminar (UL), and multilaminar (ML) primary follicles. Several atretic follicles (A) and a mature Graafian follicle (GF) were also observed. b Group II (OA group) showed flat ovarian surface (germinal) epithelial cells (thin arrow). No primordial follicles were observed. Secondary follicles (curved arrows) showed shrunken oocytes and wide separation of the surrounding granulosa cells. c Group III (OA + PMSG group) showed an area of prominent germinal epithelium stratification. No primordial follicles were seen, and the follicles appear atretic (A). d Group IV (OA + BM-MSCs group) showed flat germinal epithelium (thin arrow), numerous primordial (arrowheads), and unilaminar (UL) follicles. e Group V (OA + PMSG+ BM-MSCs group) showed cuboidal germinal epithelium (thin arrow), numerous primordial (arrow heads), unilaminar (UL), and a mature Graafian follicle (GF). f Histogram representing the mean number of ovarian follicle in all experimental groups. The significant differences against chemo-ablated group indicated by a “*” for p < 0.05 and a “**” for p < 0.01. Data are shown as mean ± S.E.M, n = 7

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