Friday, June 27, 2008

Human ovulation captured on camera


This is fascinating!

A Belgian specialist, Dr. Jacques Donnez, spotted ovulation in progress during a routine operation. He was able to capture it on film - the first time this has ever been done.

From the upper left, viewing clockwise, we see the ovum emerge slowly from the ovary. Click the picture to enlarge it.




It amazes me to think that each and every one of us began in this form, a tiny ovum in our mother, an even tinier sperm in our father.

At almost the same time, two more Belgian specialists, Stephan Gordts and Ivo Brosens, have captured the moment of ovulation on video. It's fascinating to watch the fimbrae (the fingers that sweep the ovum into the fallopian tube) gather it from the ovary, moving in time to the patient's heartbeat.





An intimate look at the very beginning of the life cycle, even before conception.

Peter

3 comments:

Diamond Mair said...

After I explained "oopherectomy" to our daughter, whenever she had mittleschmerz {the physical pain of ovulation}, she'd comment "My oophers hurt" .................. seeing the photos, it's a wonder most of us wimmin-types don't double over at least once a month ................... ;-)

Semper Fi'
DM

Anonymous said...

Give those guys a standing ovulation!

phlegmfatale said...

that crack was ill-conceived, peter.