High accumulation of lipofuscin is observed in preantral follicles of adult goat ovaries: Is it a senescence sign?

The aim of this study was to assess the ovarian follicles and cortex morphologically, as well as the presence of signs of senescence in the ovary of goat females of different ages: young female of two months (YF2m); six months (YF6m); adult female of two years (AF2y) and four years old or older (AF4+y). The follicles included in the ovarian cortex were evaluated for morphological normality, developmental category, and follicular density, as well as stromal cell density. Signs of senescence were evaluated by the presence of lipofuscin, β-galactosidase activity, and immunostaining for γH2AX. Animals in the YF2m group showed a higher (P