title: Telomeres and Female Reproductive Aging.
abstract: Reproductive aging involves declines both in oocyte number and developmental capacity. Declining oocyte number alone cannot explain the manifestations of reproductive aging in women. We have proposed the Telomere Theory of Reproductive Aging to explain the complex phenotype found in oocytes from older women. Telomeres are TTAGGG repeats and associated proteins, which form loops at the ends of chromosomes to provide structural and genomic stability. Studies in mice and women show that telomere shortening in oocytes provides a parsimonious explanation for the effects of reproductive aging on oocyte quality. Measurement of polar body telomere length may predict oocyte quality in women undergoing ART.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: Keri Horan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kalmbach
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Pathology, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danielle Mota Fontes
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.affiliation: Graduate Program in Pathology, Fluminense Federal University, Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kohlrausch
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, New York.
authors.forename: David Lawrence
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Keefe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059506:Telomere Shortening; D055815:Young Adult