Unraveling the Mystery of Multi-Oocyte Follicles: An Observational Study.

INTRODUCTION: Significant progress has been made in understanding oocyte fertilization and early developmental stages through in vitro fertilization (IVF) techniques. However, irregularities such as conjoined oocytes and binucleate giant oocytes, which are exceptions to the normal rule of one diploid female gamete per follicle, can potentially lead to chromosomal disorders in embryos and are recommended to be excluded from IVF attempts. The formation of primordial follicles during ovarian development, known as follicle assembly, is a critical process that establishes the ovarian follicle reserve. Multi-oocyte follicles (MOFs) containing two or more oocytes have been observed in various species, including humans, and their clinical significance on fertility and reproductive health remains unclear. Genetic and environmental factors, such as gene knockout and exposure to endocrine disruptors, have been implicated in MOF formation, but the mechanisms are not fully understood and require further investigation.

MATERIAL & METHOD: In this Observational study, 350 slides of ovarian tissues were scanned using an AI-based automated microscope, Grundium Ocus 20, and the TIFF images were stored in cloud storage. The slides were examined using third-party software, Pathcore Seeden Viewer, for morphometry of binovular follicles.

RESULTS: In our observational study, we examined 350 ovarian tissue slides in detail by using an AI-based microscope, uncovering 22 slides from seven different tissues with binovular and multinovular oocytes. These rare multi-oocyte follicles (MOFs) challenge the conventional one-oocyte-per-follicle paradigm. MOFs are likely formed when oocytes fail to separate during cortical sex cord proliferation, regulated by factors several molecular factorsas well as environmental factors.

DISCUSSION: Multiple Ovarian Follicles (MOFs) are rare phenomena where two or more oocytes exist in one follicle. They arise when oocytes fail to separate during ovarian development, which is governed by hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), inhibin, BMP-15, GDF-9, and GCNF. MOFs can be caused by dysregulation and exposure to chemicals such as diethylstilbestrol (DES) and isoflavones. Binovular oocytes, which occur when two oocytes are released during ovulation and are fertilised by different sperm, can result in non-identical twins, which are influenced by genetic and environmen-tal factors such as maternal age, heredity, hormonal imbalances, and assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Polynuclear oocytes with many nuclei can develop as a result of meiotic spindle defects and environmental influences. Identifying these oocyte types may aid in improving ART results by improving knowledge of the reasons of infertility and devising appropriate interventions.