Three-dimensional imaging and quantification of mouse ovarian follicles via optical coherence tomography

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation has been successfully applied worldwide for fertility preservation. Correctly selecting the ovarian tissue with high follicle loading for freezing and reimplantation increases the likelihood of restoring ovarian function, but it is a challenging process. In this work, we explore the use of three-dimensional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to identify different follicular stages, compare the identifications with H & E images, and measure the size and age-related follicular density distribution differences in mice ovaries. We use the thickness of the layers of granulosa cells to differentiate primordial and primary follicles from secondary follicles. The measured dimensions and age-related follicular distribution agree well with histological images and physiological aging. Finally, we apply attenuation coefficient map analyses to significantly improve the image contrast and the contrast-to-noise ratio (p < 0.001), facilitating follicle identification and quantification. We conclude that SD-OCT is a promising method to noninvasively evaluate ovarian follicles for ovarian tissue cryopreservation.& COPY; 2023 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

This study explores the use of three-dimensional spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) to identify different follicular stages in mice ovaries and measure their size and age-related density distribution differences. The results show that SD-OCT is a promising noninvasive method for evaluating ovarian follicles, which is helpful for ovarian tissue cryopreservation.