title: The aging oocyte--can mitochondrial function be improved?
abstract: In recent years, social and cultural trends have resulted in women delaying childbirth, thereby leading to reproductive senescence as a growing public health problem. We discuss potential etiologies for age-related female reproductive decline. We bring supportive evidence to the central role of mitochondrial dysfunction and oxygen radicals in the process of aging in general and reproductive senescence specifically. We also explore the role of coenzyme Q10 deficiency as a contributing factor and the effects of its administration.
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, and Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Yaakov
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bentov
authors.affiliation: Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology, Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Toronto, and Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: casper@lunenfeld.ca.
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Casper
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014451:Ubiquinone; C024989:coenzyme Q10