Ovary

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The ovary (from Latin ōvārium 'egg') is the paired primary sex organ, or gonad in the female reproductive system. The ovaries are responsible for the production of oogonia, their development to oocytes (immature egg cells), and the release as a mature egg cell (ovum) at ovulation. The egg cells, or ova are also known as gametes, and the process of their development is gametogenesis, known as oogenesis in the female. During their development each oocyte is surrounded by granulosa cells, forming an ovarian follicle. The ovary progresses through many stages beginning in the prenatal period through menopause. The ovary also produces hormones, specifically sex hormones (sex steroids) to assist in the development of the egg cells. This hormone production in the granulosa cells of the ovarian follicles, makes the ovary an endocrine gland as well as a sex organ. The hormones are estrogen, and progesterone that also play an important part in the development and function of the female reproductive...

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