What is atresia?

Atresia:

1. The human ovary contains a large number of immature eggs/ova, each of which sequentially matures during a menstrual cycle after puberty/sexual maturation is attained.
2. The eggs are present inside fluid-filled cavities called follicles.
3. During a menstrual cycle, multiple immature follicles continue to develop. However, there is only one follicle that completes the development and releases a fully mature ovum.
4. The other follicles through a programmed process of cell death degenerate/regress. This phenomenon is known as atresia.