UCLA researchers in the Department of Molecular Cell Developmental Biology have developed a human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived model of ovarian follicle cells that can be used to study women’s reproductive health.
BACKGROUND: Ovarian follicles are essential components of the female reproductive system. They nurture and support the development of immature eggs (oocytes) and, as the follicles mature, release estrogen and progesterone, regulating the menstrual cycle and influencing fertility. Over a woman’s lifespan, ovarian follicles are depleted, eventually leading to menopause. The ovaries are critical to reproductive health, and it is necessary to better understand how follicles contribute to hormone production to find new ways to treat menopause-related ailments. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are generated from adult skin or blood cells and re-programmed into an embryonic pluripotent state, allowing them to then be differentiated into another cell type in the right cell culture conditions. Using human iPSCs to model ovarian follicle cells is advantageous to better understanding follicle maturation, hormone production, and its effects on fertility.
INNOVATION: The laboratory of Dr. Amander Clark at UCLA has successfully generated ovarian follicle cells from human iPSCs. These human iPSC derived follicle cells are generated from hiPSCs that are self-renewing and are consented for reproductive science research. These follicle cells express a transcription factor involved in ovarian development. Research using these iPSC-derived ovarian follicle cells can make important strides in women’s health research, such as developing new approaches to family planning and contraception by screening for new drugs that may improve follicle function. Moreover, this method can be tailored to individual patients, utilizing skin cells from infertile women to restore fertility compromised from illness or injury, such as from chemotherapy.
POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS:
- Ovarian follicle cell research model and tool
- Aiding drug development for improved follicle function/fertility
- Restoring fertility due to illness or injury
- Developmental tool for novel therapies for menopause-related ailments
ADVANTAGES:
- This in-vitro line is human derived, so has high translational value
- Non-invasive patient sample collection with the use of skin cells
- The human iPSCs can be developed into ovarian follicles, confirmed with expression of transcription factors present in ovarian development
DEVELOPMENT-TO-DATE: in-vitro studies validating expression of ovarian-specific cell markers.
KEYWORDS: Ovarian follicle cells, women’s health, reproductive science research, iPSCs, fertility, menopause, stem cells