Some statistical models for ovarian folliculogenesis in infant rats

In this paper we introduce a range of probabilistic models for the numbers and sizes of follicles found in the ovaries of infant rats before the first ovulation. Our aim is thus to generate hypotheses for possible further development ; we are not yet in a position to compute reliable estimates for well-proven models. Some key concepts in the modelling problem are (i) the distribution governing the times at which individual follicles become observable in the ovaries ; (ii) the ways in which follicles are lost to observation with the