Ovary

Abstract

The ovary is responsible for both the development and release of oocytes and production of a variety of steroid and protein hormones that impact other organs throughout the body. A variety of spontaneous and xenobiotic-induced changes can be observed in the female reproductive system of rats and may be the result of direct effects on the ovary or secondary effects on the hypothalamic–hypophyseal–gonadal (HPG) axis. This chapter describes commonly observed spontaneous and compound-related effects and nonneoplastic and neoplastic changes of the ovary.