Chapters authored
The Primordial to Primary Follicle Transition — A Reliable Marker of Ovarian Function
In many mammalian species, including humans, folliculogenesis begins in fetal life and progresses throughout adulthood. The growing follicles progress from a reserve of primordial follicles that constitute the pool of female gametes for the entire life. Primordial follicles may begin to grow either immediately after forming or at clearly defined species-specific gap. Alternatively, some follicles may become quiescent before they either degenerate or resume growth several months or years afterwards. The rate of follicular assembly and the primordial to primary follicle transition is a critical step in female fertility. Therefore, disturbed coordination of the formation of primordial follicles and activation of their growth may entail some reproductive disorders. A poor initial reserve or the precocious primordial follicle depletion will result in infertility that, in women, is escorted by a shortened reproductive lifespan and early menopause. Therefore, it seems necessary to reach a profounder understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms controlling follicular development during preantral transition. In vitro growth of isolated immature ovarian follicles (IVGF) appears as an emerging technology, allowing to expand the fertility options in particular ovarian disorders or after cancer treatment
Part of the book: Insights from Animal Reproduction