01 / Location & anatomical relationships
Usually one on either side of the uterus in the pelvis.
02 / Structure & organization
The ovarian cortex contains follicles at different stages of development, while the medulla contains supportive tissue and vessels. Follicular cells participate in hormone production, and the corpus luteum forms after ovulation.
03 / Function
They also make hormones involved in puberty and reproduction.
04 / Mechanism
Ovaries contain follicles with developing egg cells. After puberty, hormonal signals can guide a follicle's growth and the release of an egg during a cycle. Ovarian hormones also influence changes elsewhere in the body.
Working together: endocrine system
Hormones travel in the blood to their target cells. Different hormones help guide growth, energy use and changes during puberty.
Meet this body system →Working together: reproductive system
Bodies develop in different ways. During puberty, hormones help reproductive organs mature. A pregnancy can begin when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell, and development continues in the uterus.
Meet this body system →FOR DEEPER STUDY
Connect structure with function
Ovarian activity is coordinated by pituitary gonadotropins and feedback signals. Egg release, follicle growth and hormone secretion are connected but distinct processes.
Check your understanding
Locate the ovaries in relation to its neighbors. Explain how the structural features described above support its function, then distinguish it from a nearby structure with a different role.
Keep learning
Continue with OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology for system-level study. This atlas is educational and has not undergone independent medical peer review.