The ovary

The ovary is the female gonad. The functions of the ovary arc:

To produce ova or eggs ready for fertilisation by the sperm of the male

To act as an endocrine gland, secreting the hormones oestrogen and progesterone.

There is a pair of ovaries, one lying on each side of the dorsal abdominal cavity, caudal to the kidney (see Ch. K). Fig. 10.2). The ovary is held close to the kid­ney by the ovrsquamous cpithι^,liιπn which undergoes hormonal changes during the oestrous cycle. The lining epithelium is folded longitu­dinally to allow widthways expansion during parturi­tion and is surrounded bv Iiivers of smooth muscle. These are very strong and during canine mating they tighten on the penis of the male and maintain the ’tie’.