The Pre-ovulatory Oocyte as a Metaphor for Personal Growth

The Pre-ovulatory Oocyte as a Metaphor for Personal Growth

Under normal circumstances, one follicle in the female ovary evolves into the dominant Graafian follicle, destined for ovulation. In a sense, the follicle is analogous to a young child, undeveloped and full of potential, destined to grow, evolve, mature, and finally burst forth into the outside world. Like the fully grown oocyte contained in the follicle, arrested at the diplotene stage of meiosis I and able to respond to LH, the child contains the blueprint for the expanded adult she will one day blossom into.
The dominant follicle always expresses an abundance of FSH receptors and continues to acquire more FSH even as FSH levels decrease. The remaining, poorly FSH-receptor endowed follicles cease to develop and undergo atresia. The successful child expresses an abundance of empathetic social receptors that allow her to acquire more love and nurturing, even as other children wither and harden as they grow because they ar...