Some women can successfully conceive even at the age of 50, while others are unable to conceive by the age of 30. Recently, scientists from the University of Gothenburg analyzed this phenomenon and found that one of the influencing factors is that the onset of menopause in women is affected by the release of their egg cells. The relevant research was published in the international journal Current Biology.
This discovery has revealed the biological clock that controls female fertility. Just as newborns need nutrients to survive, egg cells in the uterus also need nutritional support from primary follicle granulosa cells. The researchers found a signaling pathway in granulosa cells that may enable immature egg cells to survive.
The mTOR signaling pathway in granulosa cells is essential for the activation and expression of receptor-ligand growth factor (GGF), which then binds to the c-kit receptor in the oocyte, thus determining the oocyte's fate. Researcher Liu stated that this mechanism allows granulosa cells to determine when the oocyte begins to grow and when it dies. In this sense, granulosa cells provide a biological clock for the oocyte, monitoring the onset of menopause in women.
Researchers believe that this study may stimulate the growth of immature oocytes through intervention, and future researchers could use this mechanism to control the development of human oocytes and develop new therapies to treat clinical infertility.
