Final answer:
Folliculogenesis is the term for the development process of follicles that surround the egg during oogenesis. It encompasses the growth and maturation of ovarian follicles, leading to the release of a mature oocyte during ovulation. The process involves several stages, including atresia, and ultimately the formation of the corpus luteum if fertilization does not occur.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that refers to the development of the follicle that surrounds the egg as the egg undergoes oogenesis is called folliculogenesis. Folliculogenesis is a multistage process where ovarian follicles, which are oocytes and their supporting cells, grow and develop, typically leading to the ovulation of one follicle approximately every 28 days. This process includes several stages starting from primordial, progressing through primary and secondary stages, and culminating in a tertiary stage prior to ovulation. The primary oocyte within the follicle remains in this stage until just before ovulation when it completes its first meiotic division to become a secondary oocyte.
During folliculogenesis, the ovarian follicles experience atresia, the death of multiple follicles, and potentially only one follicle — the dominant follicle — reaches full maturity. After ovulation, the remaining follicle transforms into the corpus luteum, which produces hormones until it degenerates if fertilization does not occur. These stages of folliculogenesis ensure that a female's ovaries release a mature oocyte that, if fertilized, can develop into an embryo.