Induction of proliferation in the primate ovarian surface epithelium in vivo

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the primary ovarian malignancy affecting women. Proposed etiologies of EOC resist direct testing due to the absence of a suitable animal model, as EOC affects only primates, not other mammals. The role of proliferation in ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) transformation has been suggested but not demonstrated, nor has OSE proliferation been widely reported. We selected the rhesus macaque as a model to evaluate the unique primate OSE in vivo, and to determine whether it can undergo proliferative repair, which may relate to EOC etiology.