ovary

The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are endocrine glands, secreting various hormones that play a role in the menstrual cycle and fertility. The ovary progresses through many stages beginning in the prenatal period through menopause.

AI overview

An ovary is a reproductive organ that produces eggs and releases them into the fallopian tube, where they can travel to the uterus for potential fertilization. Beyond reproduction, the ovaries also act as endocrine glands, producing hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle and fertility throughout a woman's reproductive years.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Key facts

Anatomy.Name: Ovary
Anatomy.Latin: ovarium
Anatomy.Image: Ovary.png
Anatomy.Caption: Diagram of a human ovary
Anatomy.Image2: Gray589.png
Anatomy.Caption2: Blood supply of the human female reproductive organs. The left ovary is the oval shaped structure visible above the label "ovarian artery".
Anatomy.System: Reproductive system
Anatomy.Artery: Ovarian artery, uterine artery
Anatomy.Vein: Ovarian vein
Anatomy.Nerve: Ovarian plexus
Anatomy.Lymph: Paraaortic lymph node

via Wikipedia infobox

Research

198,357 papers

Cellular atlas of the human ovary using morphologically guided spatial transcriptomics and single-cell sequencing.Science advances · 2024Jones ASK, Hannum DF, Machlin JH et al.DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm7506
The adult ovary at single cell resolution: an expert review.ReviewAmerican journal of obstetrics and gynecology · 2025Rooda I, Méar L, Hassan J et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2024.05.046
The importance of ovary-immune interactions in the context of age and disease.ReviewFrontiers in neuroendocrinology · 2026Zardeneta ME, Pickle KA, Sohrabji FDOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2026.101234
Endocrinology of the ovary.ReviewHuman reproduction (Oxford, England) · 1994Adashi EYDOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.humrep.a138602
Mouse Ovary Transplantation.Cold Spring Harbor protocols · 2017Behringer RDOI: 10.1101/pdb.prot094458
The controversial ovary.California medicine · 1958CULINER A
Integration of mouse ovary morphogenesis with developmental dynamics of the oviduct, ovarian ligaments, and rete ovarii.eLife · 2022McKey J, Anbarci DN, Bunce C et al.DOI: 10.7554/eLife.81088
Can we manipulate the ovary's own metabolism to protect it from chemotherapy-induced damage?EMBO molecular medicine · 2024Liugaila A, Stefansdottir A, Spears NDOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00124-z

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Image: Gray589.png

Show 3 more facts

Commons category: Ovary
WordLift URL: data.medicalrecords.com/medicalrecords/healthwise/ovary
NCI Thesaurus ID: C12404

Sources (11)

via Wikidata · CC0

~21 min read

Article

17 sections

Contents

Structure
Ligaments
Microanatomy
Function
Gamete production
Hormone secretion
Ovarian aging
Clinical significance
Society and culture
Cryopreservation
History
Other animals
Additional images
See also
References
Bibliography
External links

==Structure== Each ovary is whitish in color and located alongside the lateral wall of the uterus in a region called the ovarian fossa. The ovarian fossa is the region that is bounded by the external iliac artery and in front of the ureter and the internal iliac artery. This area is about 4 cm x 3 cm x 2 cm in size.