#ReproductiveScience

A long-dismissed part of female anatomy may play a vital role in ovarian function and fertility, according to a March 2025 study in eLife. Research on mice reveals that the rete ovarii is active and potentially essential for reproductive health, challenging the view of it as a vestigial remnant. The authors used modern imaging and molecular techniques to map the rete ovarii (RO) and its connection to the ovary, offering new avenues for understanding female fertility.

A century-old mystery in female anatomy is being rewritten by new scientific findings: the rete ovarii, long dismissed as a vestigial and “useless” organ, may play a critical role in ovarian function and fertility. This revelation comes from a pioneering mouse study published in March 2025 in the journal eLife, which suggests that this overlooked structure is not only active but potentially essential for reproductive health (Live Science).

The discovery is especially significant for Thai readers, where women’s health issues, particularly regarding fertility and reproductive well-being, remain top concerns for many families and the medical community. For generations, biology textbooks and medical curricula worldwide—including those in Thailand—have listed the ovaries, uterus, and fallopian tubes as the primary organs of the female reproductive tract. The new research now puts the rete ovarii (RO) on the map, suggesting it should be investigated as an additional component crucial to female reproductive function.