The outer layer of the ovary is a thin layer of germinal epithelium. Which term describes this outer layer?

• A. Cortex
• B. Medulla
• C. Tunica Albuginea
• D. Germinal Epithelium

Answer: (D)

The outermost covering of the ovary is the germinal epithelium, a thin layer of epithelium that lines the surface and forms the ovarian surface epithelium. This layer sits on top of the tunica albuginea, which is a dense connective tissue capsule, and beneath that lie the cortex with follicles and the medulla at the center. The term germinal epithelium correctly describes the surface layer because it is the boundary you see on the ovary’s exterior, while the other terms refer to internal regions (cortex, medulla) or to the capsule just beneath the surface (tunica albuginea). Note that the name germinal epithelium is historical; its epithelium is mesothelial in origin and does not indicate the site of germ cell formation.