PMC8261244_01
(A) Luteinized follicle containing a structure suggestive of an ovum undergoing degeneration (hematoxylin and eosin stain; magnification, x150). (B) Higher magnification of the putative ovum (hematoxylin and eosin stain; magnification, x250). (C) Higher magnification of the same follicle showing luteinized cells characterized by their larger size, abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm, and prominent nucleus (hematoxylin and eosin stain; magnification, x250).
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F1
Inappropriate luteinization of Graafian follicles is thus the major pathophysiological mechanism of follicle dysfunction in patients who have Overt POI (Figure 1) (Nelson et al.,).
Serum estradiol correlated with maximum follicle diameter in normal women but not in women with Overt POI. (A) Each point represents the findings in 1 of 10 normal women with regular menses examined during the follicular phase. Two congruent points are noted by (2). (B) Each point represents the findings in a patient with overt POI who had an ovarian follicle detected by sonogram (37 sonograms in 27 patients). There are 8 congruent points (Nelson et al.,).
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F2
Women with Overt POI had poor correlation between follicle diameter and serum estradiol as compared to controls (Figure 2).
Serum estradiol response to stimulation with 300 IU FSH. (A) Control women, women with Overt POI, and women with overt POI segregated by the absence or presence of an antral follicle 8 mm in diameter or greater (***P < 0.0001 vs. baseline). (B) Change in serum estradiol levels at 24 h.
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F3
In contrast with control women, their serum estradiol levels increased significantly in response to FSH (Figure 3) (Hubayter et al.,).
(A) Mean (SEM) percentage change from screening in the femoral neck BMD. (B) Mean (SEM) percentage change from screening in the lumbar spine BMD (Popat et al.,).
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F4
In fact, by the end of the study, bone mineral density had increased to such a degree their BMD did not differ significantly from the control women who participated (Figure 4).