The Aging Ovary and the Tales Learned Since Fetal Development

Sex Dev. 2023 Aug 18. doi: 10.1159/000532072. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBackground While the term "aging" implies a process typically associated with later life, the consequences of ovarian aging are evident by the time a women reaches her forties, and sometimes earlier. This is due to a gradual decline in the quantity and quality of oocytes which occurs over a woman's repreoductive lifespan. Indeed, the reproductive potential of the ovary is established even before birth, as the proper formation and assembly of the ovarian germ cell population during fetal life determines the lifetime endowment of oocytes and follicles. In the ovary, sophisticated molecular processes have been identified that regulate the timing of ovarian aging and these are critical to ensuring follicular maintenance. Summary The mechanisms thought to contribute to overall aging have been summarized under the term the "hallmarks of aging" and include such processes as DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere attrition, genomic instability, and stem cell exhaustion, among others. Similarly, in the ovary, molecular processes have been identified that regulate the timing of ovarian aging and these are critical to ensuring follicular maintenance. In this review, we outline critical processes involved in ovarian aging, highlight major achievements for treatment of ovarian aging, and discuss ongoing questions and areas of debate. Key Messages Ovarian aging is recognized as what may be a complex proces...
Source: Sexual Development : genetics, molecular biology, evolution, endocrinology, embryology, and pathology of sex determination and differentiation - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Source Type: research