Germ cell dynamics during nest breakdown and formation of the primordial follicle pool in the domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

This study determined, for the first time, the different subpopulations of germ cells and stereological changes within the cortex of the functional left ovary during germ cell nest breakdown, and formation of the primordial follicle pool in the domestic turkey. This was accomplished by measuring the size, density, and count of prefollicular germ cells and primordial follicles in turkey poults between 1 and 35 days posthatch (dph). The percent volume (PV) of germ cells and follicles within the cortex was also calculated as a means of validating the counting technique. The total percent volume of germ cells and primordial follicles within the cortex ranged between 42 and 84%, suggesting that the counting technique was valid. Our findings show that before germ cell nest breakdown (5 dph), there were roughly 1,000,000 prefollicular germ cells within the cortex of the left ovary and that germ cell nest breakdown initiated between 5 and 7 dph, characterized by a decrease (P ≤ 0.001) in prefollicular germ cell density and the subsequent appearance of primordial follicles. Nest breakdown is followed on day 9 by the first increase (P ≤ 0.05) in size of prefollicular germ cells. These cells continue to grow throughout nest breakdown. The majority (>90%) of germ cell nest breakdowns concluded by 15 dph; although, the primordial follicle pool was not fully established until 35 dph, as determined by a total lack of prefollicular germ cells. At this point, the pool was comprised of an estimated 60,000 primordial follicles and shows that during nest breakdown and follicle pool formation, ∼94% of germ cells were lost. This 94% decrease in the number of germ cells during nest breakdown in the turkey is comparable to the domestic chicken but is greater than the average two-thirds which are lost in mammalian species.