Question

What is the difference between primary follicles and primary oocytes?

Answer 1

Follicle:

1. Folliculogenesis is the process through which a follicle develops.
2. A tiny secretory cavity surrounds developing oocytes.
3. They are found in the ovary's cortex.
4. The phases of folliculogenesis are primordial, primary follicle, secondary follicle, tertiary follicle, and pre-ovulatory follicle.

Oocyte:

1. It is a cell that develops the ovum through the meiotic process.
2. Its development occurs in the follicle.
3. They are typically diploid and multiply by mitotic cell division to form primary oocytes.
4. A 5-month-old foetus carries around 7 million primary oocytes, which grow to 2 million at delivery.

Difference between primary follicles and primary oocytes:

Primary follicles	Primary oocytes
It is made up of main oocytes.	It has become entrenched in the follicle.
Cell division does not occur.	Cell division in the primary oocytes in the primary follicle is halted at the diplotene stage of prophase 1.
The growing oocyte is surrounded by a tiny secretory cavity.	It is a developing cell from the ovum.