Vet. Pathol.

21: 304-307 (1984)

Feline Cystic Rete Ovarii

H. B. GELBERG,
K. MCENTEE,and E. H. HEATH

Departments of Veterinary Pathobiology and Veterinary Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine,

University of Illinois, Urbana, IL

Abstract. Cysts of the rete ovarii system from 20 cats are described. The cellular morphology of these cysts varies because
the normal rete ovarii in the cat consists of three anatomically distinct parts. Cysts arise in the ovarian medulla or at the tubal
extremity of the ovary, expand into ovarian stroma rather than the mesovarium, and are lined by ciliated columnar to
flattened epithelium. Their functional significance is unknown.

The rete ovarii is a convoluted system of cell cords
and tubes which at birth occupies most of the ovarian
medulla and extends into the periovarian region." In
cats, as in other mammals, the rete ovarii consists of
three parts: an intraovarian rete system, a connecting
rete system, and an extraovarian rete system? The
intraovarian rete is located within the ovarian medulla
and is lined by cuboidal epithelium. At the tubal ex-
tremity of the ovary, the intraovarian system becomes
a reticular formation of dilated tubules lined by ciliated
columnar epithelium-the connecting rete. The extrao-
varian rete (mesonephric tubules and cords) consists of
tubules composed of ciliated columnar cells extending
from the connecting rete and ending blindly in the
periovarian tissue. Compared to the cells of the con-
necting rete, cells of the extraovarian rete have a smaller
nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio. The connecting and ex-
traovarian rete contain cytoplasmic periodic acidSchiff
(PAS)-positive granules and rete tubules often contain
a PAS-positive secretory material within their lumen^.^
All rete cells contain electron-dense rete bodies.'
Secretory activity in the rete has been reported in the
cat,'j and studies in various species have suggested that
the rete system and its secretions play an important role
in the onset of meiosis" '" and that this secretory activity
is regulated hormonally. l 7
Although not universally accepted,' evidence is
mounting to indicate that in cats, mink, ferrets, rats,
mice, and marmosets, granulosa cells develop at least
in part from the cells of the rete ~varii.'.'.~.~.'~Granu-
losa cells lining follicles sometimes are interconnected
with the intraovarian or connecting rete,3.8 share a
304
common basement membrane,6 and cytoplasmic pro-
trusions of intraovarian rete cells are often in contact
with germ cellss Additionally, rete cells are similar
ultrastructurally7and enzymatically" to granulosa cells.
Removal of the rete ovarii before follicles are formed
prevents follicle formation."X
Pathologic changes have been reported in the rete
ovarii of a variety of mammalian species. These include
metaplasia, cyst formation, hyperplasia, and adeno-
matous change in women.I7 Rete cysts in heifers,' cystic
degeneration and adenomatous change of the rete ovarii
in slaughter cattle,14 squamous metaplasia of the rete
ovarii in cattle with cystic ovaries and nymphomania,"
and cystadenomatous change in Indian water buffalo' '
have been reported. Cysts of the rete system have been
seen in sheep,I3 guinea pigs," swine," prairie deer
mice,'" a camel,lXand dogs.'.'" This is the first report
of cystic change in the rete ovarii of cats.
Materials and Methods
Tissues from 20 cats with cystic rete ovarii were reviewed
from the archives of the International Registry of Reproduc-
tive Pathology at the University of Illinois. Reproductive
tracts from nine cats undergoing routine ovariohysterectomies
also were examined. Examination consisted of light micros-
copy of hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and specially stained
paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed 5 pm serial sections taken
parallel to the long axis of the ovary.
Results
Serial sections from normal cats had various degrees
of normal rete morphology. In several sections the
anatomic junction between the intraovarian and con-
 Rete Ovarii 305

Fig. 1: lntraovarian rete lined by simple epithelium (single arrow). Connecting rete lined by columnar ciliated epithelium
(double arrow). Junction between intraovarian and connecting rete (arrowhead). Van Gieson.
Fig. 2: Higher magnification, fig. I . Intraovarian rete lined by simple epithelium (single arrow). Connecting rete lined by
columnar ciliated epithelium (double arrow). Van Gieson.

necting rete clearly was visible. In these sections (figs.
1,2) the nonciliated epithelium of the intraovarian rete
changed abruptly to the ciliated columnar type of the
connecting rete.
Those ovaries with cystic rete ovarii had grossly
visible cysts present unilaterally or bilaterally (table I;
fig. 3). There was no common age, breed, or reproduc-
tive history among the cats examined. Histologically,
there was much variation from expansile cysts extend-
ing into the ovarian parenchyma from the tuba1 extrem-
ity to large space-occupying cysts displacing surviving
parenchyma peripherally (fig. 4). Cyst lining varied
from single to several layers of cuboidal or flattened
epithelium (fig. 5) to columnar and ciliated (fig. 6).
Some cysts were lined partially by both types of cells.
Discussion
It is apparent from this study that cysts of the rete
ovarii in cats are not as rare as a review of the literature
would indicate. It is likely that veterinary practitioners
and pathologists categorize them simply as “ovarian
cysts.” Histologic examination of such material, how-
ever, greatly facilitates distinction between follicular
cysts and cysts arising in the rete ovarii.
Confusion has existed as to the nomenclature of the
various parts of the rete. This has been complicated by
the diverse cell types (i.e., ciliated and nonciliated)
found in the normal rete and the fact that fluid pressure
within cysts may flatten and attenuate lining cells-
making identification of the cell of origin impossible. It
is clear from our study that the epithelial lining of these
cysts varies.
Since cells of the rete are secretory’’ and the rete in
the adult cat ends blindly, it is not surprising that these
cysts develop. We postulate that since the extraovarian
rete ends blindly in the fibromuscular periovarian tissue
(mesovarium), these cysts, from whichever portion of
the rete system they arise, expand into all portions of
the rete system through their tubular connections along
the path of least resistance, compressing ovarian
stroma. The resulting cyst can. thus .have an epithelial
lining varying from cuboidal to ciliated columnar to
306 Gelberg. McEntee, and Heath

5 6
Fig. 3: Bilateral rete cysts displacing ovarian parenchyma.
Fig. 4: Subgross micrograph of rete cyst (C). Surviving ovarian parenchyma compressed peripherally. Van Gieson.
Fig. 5: Rete cyst lined'by simple cuboidal epithelium. HE.
Fig. 6: Rete cyst lined by columnar ciliated epithelium. HE.
 Rete Ovarii 307

Table I. Characteristics of cystic rete ovarii* 5 BYSKOV,A.G.: The anatomy and ultrastructure of the rete
Cyst location Cyst lining system in the fetal mouse ovary. Biol Reprod 19: 720-
Registry 735, 1978
number Age Uni- Cil- Non- 6 BYSKOV,A.G.; LINTEN-MOORE, S.: Follicle formation in
lateral iated** ciliated the immature mouse ovary: the role of the rete ovarii. J
1508 10yr 4- + Anat 116: 207-2 17, I973
3014 7mO + + 7 BYSKOV, A.G.; RASMUSSEN, G.: Ultrastructural studies of
3621 6 yr + + the developing follicle. In: The Development of Matura-
6350 13 yr + + tion of the Ovary and its Functions, ed. H. Peters. Ex-
6537 M + + cerpta Medica Internat Congress Series 267: 55-62, 1973
8700 M + + 8 BYSKOV,A.G.; SKAKKEBAEK, N.E.; STAFANGER, G.; PE-
11148 M + + TERS, H.: Influence of ovarian surface epithelium and rete
11354 10mo + + ovarii on follicle formation. J Anat 123: 77-86, 1977
12092 12 yr + + 9 DEANESLEY, R.: Follicle formation in guinea pigs and
13876 U + + rabbits: a comparative study with notes on the rete ovarii.
14262 8 y r + + J Reprod Fertil45: 371-374, 1975
14388 3 yr + + 10 DONALDSON, L.E.; HANSEL, W.: Cystic corpora lutea and
14687 M + + normal and cystic graafian follicles in the cow. Aust Vet
16037 M + + J 4 4 304-308; 1968
16245 4 yr + + 1 1 DWIVEDI, J.N.; SINGH,C.M.: Studies on the pathology of
16602 9 yr + + female reproductive organs of Indian Buffalo. Ind Vet J
17910 I 1 yr + + 46: 115-1 18, 1969
18327 8 yr + 4- 12 GUEDES, M.L.C.; MIRAGLIA. T.: The rete ovarii and fol-
18634 M + + licle formation in marmosets. Acta Histochem (Jena)
18635 2 yr -L 4- 60: 247-252, 1977
13 HADEK,R.: Morphological and histochemical study on
* All cats were domestic short hairs with the exception of the ovary of sheep. Am J Vet Res 19: 873-88 1, 1958
cat 179 10-a Siamese. 14 KANAGAWA, H.: Histopathological studies on the repro-
** Cysts lined by ciliated cells also contained areas lined by ductive organs, pituitaries, thyroids, adrenals and livers
cuboidal to flattened cells. from slaughtered cattle in Hokkaido. Jpn J Vet Res
Yr = years; mo = months; M = mature; U = unknown. 11: 61-64, 1963
15 MOSSMAN, H.W.: A critique of our progress toward un-
flattened. The functional significance of these cysts is derstanding the biology of the mammalian ovary. In:
unknown and awaits analysis of the cyst fluid. Reproduction and Sexual Behavior, ed. M. Diamond, pp.
187-205. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1969
16 QUATTROPANI, S.L.: Serous cysts of the aging guinea pig
Acknowledgements ovary. I. Light microscopy and origin. Anat Rec 188: 35 1-
The authors thank Mr. D. Fritts for assistance with 360, 1977
the photography. I7 SAURAMO, H.: Development, occurrence, function and
pathology of the rete ovarii. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand
33: 29-46, 1954
References 18 SHEHATA, R.: Medullary tubes in the ovary of the camel
ANDERSEN, A.C.; SIMPSON, M.E.: The Ovary and Repro- and other mammals. Vet Rec 76: 750-753, 1964
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onset of meiosis? Nature 252: 396-397, 1974 2 1 WALDEYER, W.: Eierstock und Ej Leipzig: Engelmann,
BYSKOV, A.G.: The role of the rete ovarii in meiosis and 1870, cited by Byskov and Linten-Moore in ref. 6
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Request reprints from Dr. H. B. Gelberg, Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University
of Illinois, Urbana, IL 6 180 1 (USA).