title: Aging of oocyte, ovary, and human reproduction.
abstract: We review age-related changes in the ovary and their effect on female fertility, with particular emphasis on follicle formation, follicle dynamics, and oocyte quality. The evidence indicates that the developmental processes leading to follicle formation set the rules determining follicle quiescence and growth. This regulatory system is maintained until menopause and is directly affected in at least some models of premature ovarian failure (POF), most strikingly in the Foxl2 mouse knockout, a model of human POF with monogenic etiology (blepharophimosis/ptosis/epicanthus inversus syndrome). Several lines of evidence indicate that if the ovarian germ cell lineage maintains regenerative potential, as recently suggested in the mouse, a role in follicle dynamics for germ stem cells, if any, is likely indirect or secondary. In addition, age-related variations in oocyte quality in animal models suggest that reproductive competence is acquired progressively and might depend on parallel growth and differentiation of follicle cells and stroma. Genomewide analyses of the mouse oocyte transcriptome have begun to be used to systematically investigate the mechanisms of reproductive competence that are altered with aging. Investigative and therapeutic strategies can benefit from considering the role of continuous interactions between follicle cells and oocytes from the beginning of histogenesis to full maturation.
authors.affiliation: NIA/NIH IRP, Laboratory of Genetics, Suite 3000, Triad Technology Center, 333 Cassell Drive, Baltimore MD 21224, USA. ottolenghich@grc.nia.nih.gov
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ottolenghi
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Uda
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamatani
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Crisponi
authors.forename: Jose-Elias
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pilia
authors.forename: Chiarella
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sforza
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schlessinger
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Forabosco
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*