Defining the cell and molecular origins of the primate ovarian reserve
Journal
Nature Communications
Journal Volume
16
Journal Issue
1
Start Page
7539
ISSN
2041-1723
Date Issued
2025-08-26
Author(s)
Wamaitha, Sissy E.
Rojas, Ernesto J.
Monticolo, Francesco
Sosa, Enrique
Mackie, Amanda M.
Oyama, Kiana
Custer, Maggie
Murphy, Melinda
Laird, Diana J.
Shu, Jian
Hennebold, Jon D.
Clark, Amander T.
Abstract
The primate ovarian reserve is established during late fetal development and consists of quiescent primordial follicles in the ovarian cortex each composed of granulosa cells surrounding an oocyte in dictate. As late stages of fetal development are not routinely accessible using human tissues, the current study exploits the evolutionary proximity of the rhesus macaque to investigate follicle formation in primates. Like in humans, the rhesus prenatal ovary develops multiple types of pre-granulosa cells in time and space, with primordial follicles deriving from later emerging pre-granulosa subtypes. In addition, our work shows that activated medullary follicles recruit fetal theca cells to establish a two-cell system for sex-steroid hormone production prior to birth, providing a cell-based explanation for mini puberty.
Subjects
Animals
Female
Gonadal Steroid Hormones
Granulosa Cells
Macaca mulatta
Oocytes
Ovarian Follicle
Ovarian Reserve
Ovary
Theca Cells
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Description
Article number 7539
Type
journal article