High expression was observed in all dominant follicles.

Under the influence of several hormones, all but one of these follicles will stop growing, while one dominant follicle in the ovary will continue to maturity.

In a normal menstrual cycle, one egg is released from a dominant follicle - essentially a cyst that bursts to release the egg.

Sometimes, two dominant follicles develop eggs and ovulate.

The remaining follicle is called the dominant follicle and is responsible for producing large amounts of estradiol during the late follicular phase.

This "dominant follicle" suppresses the growth of all of the other follicles, which stop growing and degenerate.

That single dominant follicle becomes a corpus luteum following ovulation.

However, it is common for the follicular phase to last much longer, as sometimes no dominant follicle is selected.

There is a possibility that my ovary could be producing just one dominant follicle, in which case I would have to withdraw.

This is consistent with a role for theca-derived BMP-3 in regulating the dominant follicle and CL.