RESUMO
The aim of this study was to adapt a mechanical procedure for the isolation of intact preantral follicles from Cebus apella ovaries. The interval effect of serial sections of the tissue chopper was tested on a number of preantral follicles isolated from ovaries (n=6) of three C. apella females, two prepubertal and one adult. Ovaries were divided into four equal parts and fragmented with a tissue chopper, adjusted for serial sections at intervals of 250, 500, 750 and 1,000æm, respectively. Isolated follicles were counted in a Neubauer's chamber and classified as primordial, primary or secondary. The number (mean±SE) of preantral follicles isolated from 1/4 ovary varied from 68,330+17,590 (at the 1,000æm cut interval) to 300,830+111,460 (at the 500æm cut interval. The mean diameter of the isolated preantral follicles varied from 11.6æm to 27.8æm.