The ovarian follicle of ruminants: the path from conceptus to adult

This review resulted from an international workshop and presents a consensus view of critical advances over the past decade in our understanding follicle function ruminants. The major concepts covered include: (1) value genes; (2) dynamics fetal ovarian development its sensitivity to nutritional environmental influences; (3) concept reserve, aligned with rise anti-Müllerian hormone as controller processes; (4) renewed recognition diverse important roles theca cells; (5) importance follicular fluid microenvironment that determines oocyte quality; (6) ‘adipokinome’ key linking metabolic inputs development; (7) contribution success conception. These are because, sheep cattle, ovulation rate is tightly regulated and, primary determinant litter size, it component reproductive efficiency therefore productivity. Nowadays, also target for improving ‘methane efficiency’ livestock enterprises, increasing need understand processes folliculogenesis, while avoiding detrimental trade-offs greater performance sought.