The mesovarium is the portion of the
broad ligament of the
uterus
The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', : uteri or uteruses) or womb () is the hollow organ, organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans, that accommodates the embryonic development, embryonic and prenatal development, f ...
that suspends the
ovaries
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 endocr ...
. The ovary is not covered by the mesovarium; rather, it is covered by germinal epithelium.
At first, the
mesonephros
The mesonephros () is one of three excretory system, excretory organs that develop in vertebrates. It serves as the main excretory organ of aquatic vertebrates and as a temporary kidney in reptiles, birds, and mammals. The mesonephros is included ...
and
genital ridge are suspended by a common
mesentery
In human anatomy, the mesentery is an Organ (anatomy), organ that attaches the intestines to the posterior abdominal wall, consisting of a double fold of the peritoneum. It helps (among other functions) in storing Adipose tissue, fat and allowi ...
, but as the
embryo
An embryo ( ) is the initial stage of development for a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male sp ...
grows the genital ridge gradually becomes pinched off from the mesonephros, with which it is at first continuous, though it still remains connected to the remnant of this body by a fold of
peritoneum
The peritoneum is the serous membrane forming the lining of the abdominal cavity or coelom in amniotes and some invertebrates, such as annelids. It covers most of the intra-abdominal (or coelomic) organs, and is composed of a layer of mesotheli ...
. In the male, this is the
mesorchium, and in the female, this is the mesovarium.
See also
*
Mesometrium
*
Mesosalpinx
External links
* - "The Female Pelvis: The
Broad ligament"
* - "Posterior view of the broad ligament of the uterus, on the left side."
*
* (, )
*
Photo at murraystate.edu (look for #3)
Mammal female reproductive system
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