Ovulation filmed from start to finish for the first time | Max-Planck-Gesellschaft

Amazing stuff!

"Approximately 400 times in a woman's life, a mature egg makes the “leap.” It is released into the fallopian tube, ready for fertilization by the sperm. Researchers ... have now succeeded in visualizing the entire process of ovulation in mouse follicles in real-time. The new live imaging method developed by the team allows for the process to be studied with high spatial and temporal resolution, contributing to new insights in fertility research. ...

Ovulation is regulated by a complex interplay of hormones, yet the actual process of ovulation remains poorly understood. The ovary lies deep within the body, making it experimentally challenging to access. Additionally, ovulation occurs within a very narrow time frame, and it cannot be predicted which of the two ovaries will release the next follicle.

The research team has now succeeded in observing the entire ovulation process in isolated ovarian follicles from mice under the microscope with high spatial and temporal resolution. “We can distinguish three phases,” ... “The follicle expands, contracts, and finally releases the egg.” ..."

Ovulation filmed from start to finish for the first time | Max-Planck-Gesellschaft "New imaging data reveal that the follicle expands, contracts, and finally releases the egg"