Table 2 Effects of sewage sludge chemicals on relative proportions of ovarian oocyte/follicle types in day 140 fetal ovaries.

From: The fetal ovary exhibits temporal sensitivity to a ‘real-life’ mixture of environmental chemicals

Exposure Description

Oocyte/follicle proportions (%total oocytes/follicles/follicle class)

0–140C None

0–140T Continuous

0–80T Early

30–110T Mid

60–140T Late

No. ovaries assessed

5

8

9

10

9

Type* 0 (n/mm2)

0.35 ± 0.20

1.02 ± 0.42

1.05 ± 0.36

1.57 ± 0.51

0.68 ± 0.27

 

0.35 ± 0.20

1.02 ± 0.42

1.05 ± 0.36

1.57 ± 0.51

0.68 ± 0.27

Type 0 (%)

 Healthy**

60.7 ± 21.5 a

89.8 ± 5.9 b

71.0 ± 10.8

82.7 ± 9.7

63.3 ± 10.1

 INS

5.3 ± 3.3

7.1 ± 4.6

10.0 ± 4.3

8.0 ± 5.0

9.9 ± 3.4

 Atretic

34.0 ± 22.7

3.2 ± 2.1

10.0 ± 10.4

9.3 ± 4.9

26.9 ± 8.8

 Type 1 (n/mm2)

3.87 ± 2.61

4.73 ± 1.76

5.81 ± 1.78

7.29 ± 1.83

9.85 ± 4.14

Type 1 (%)

 Healthy

70.1 ± 23.4 a

87.2 ± 2.4

92.2 ± 1.5

88.4 ± 2.2

92.4 ± 1.8 b

 INS

0.6 ± 0.4

6.6 ± 1.7

6.0 ± 1.5

5.9 ± 2.5

2.9 ± 0.9

 Atretic

29.3 ± 23.6 a

6.2 ± 1.8 b

1.9 ± 0.5 b

5.7 ± 1.3 b

4.7 ± 1.5 b

 Type 1a (n/mm2)

11.86 ± 4.57

11.67 ± 1.98

11.53 ± 2.79

18.24 ± 2.77

19.56 ± 3.42

Type 1a (%)

 Healthy

98.0 ± 1.0 a

91.6 ± 2.2 b

89.3 ± 1.5 b

86.7 ± 2.5 b

91.1 ± 1.2 b

 INS

0.7 ± 0.3 a

3.0 ± 1.2

3.8 ± 0.8 b

3.7 ± 1.1 b

2.9 ± 0.4

 Atretic

1.3 ± 0.8 a

5.5 ± 1.5

6.9 ± 1.2 b

9.6 ± 1.8 b

6.0 ± 0.9 b

 Type 2 (n/mm2)

1.66 ± 0.29 a

1.85 ± 0.54

1.11 ± 0.21

2.29 ± 0.37

4.67 ± 0.83 b

Type 2 (%)

 Healthy

96.0 ± 1.1 a

85.5 ± 4.8

93.5 ± 2.1

80.4 ± 5.0 b

88.4 ± 3.8

 INS

1.0 ± 0.7 a

1.2 ± 0.8

1.5 ± 0.8

5.3 ± 0.8 b

1.2 ± 0.4

 Atretic

3.0 ± 1.0

13.3 ± 4.5

5.1 ± 2.2

14.4 ± 4.2

10.4 ± 3.9

 Types 3–5 (n/mm2)

0.17 ± 0.06

0.17 ± 0.05

0.22 ± 0.06

0.20 ± 0.06

0.17 ± 0.06

Types 3–5 (%)***

 Healthy

100

100

95.7 ± 4.3

90.6 ± 3.9

96.2 ± 2.7

 INS

0

0

0

2.4 ± 1.6

0

 Atretic

0

0

4.3 ± 4.3

7.0 ± 3.9

3.8 ± 2.7

  1. Oocyte/follicle proportions are expressed as a % relative to oocyte/follicle density within each follicle class, at different times of gestation. Proportions are shown according to developmental type* and health category**; values represent mean ± SEM, differing superscripts indicate statistically significant differences vs Control (0–140 C) at p values < 0.05. *Developmental types: type 0 = isolated or naked oocyte (without associated granulosa cells (GC)). Follicle types (Lundy et al.46): type 1 = primordial follicle (oocyte with flattened GC; type 1a =Transitory/activated follicle (a mixture of flattened and ≥1 cuboidal GC; type 2 = primary follicle (1 to <2 complete layers of cuboidal GC; type 3 = small pre-antral follicle (2 to <4 complete layers of cuboidal GC); type 4 = large pre-antral follicle (4 to <6 layers of cuboidal GC); type 5 = small antral follicle (>5 layers cuboidal GC).**Health categories: Healthy, INS = intense nuclear staining and compact oocyte nucleus, Atretic = degenerated. ***Types 3–5 combined because of low numbers. P = 0.055 vs control.
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