Quick Facts
The corpus albicans is the white fibrous tissue that replaces the regressing corpus luteum in the human ovary in the latter half of pregnancy, or soon after ovulation when pregnancy does not supervene (Dorland, 2011).
Related parts of the anatomy
Structure and/or Key Feature(s)
After menstruation or at the end of a pregnancy, the corpus luteum degenerates. Lipid droplets accumulate in the cells and the cells undergo autolysis. A whitish scar, the corpus albicans, is the remnant of the original functional corpus luteum.
Each corpus albicans appears as irregular puffy, light pink, bodies composed of masses of delicate collagen fibers amongst which will be the nuclei of fibrocytes. They will disappear after several months (Mescher, 2013; Ross and Pawlina, 2006).
Anatomical Relations
The corpus albicans is deep in the ovarian cortex.
References
Dorland, W. (2011) Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary. 32nd edn. Philadelphia, USA: Elsevier Saunders.
Mescher, A. (2013) Junqueira's Basic Histology: Text and Atlas. 13th edn.: McGraw-Hill Education.
Ross, M. H. and Pawlina, W. (2006) Histology: A text and atlas. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
