NEWS Researchers at Umeå University in Sweden have identified the molecular network that controls the length of fertility and the menopausal biological clock in females.
The fertility of women (for example, from ages of 15 to 50, around a period of 30 to 35 years), relies on the storage of primordial follicles in their ovaries, which are in a state of dormancy but are still alive. These sleeping immature follicles provide a reservoir that maintains a woman’s fertility for 3 to 4 decades. Kui Liu's research team at the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Umeå University, Sweden had previously identified the molecular mechanisms that wake up the primordial follicles and trigger their growth (as published in Science 2008). Now, as a follow up study, the same group has found mechanisms for maintaining the lengthy survival of primordial follicles, so that women are fertile for their entire reproductive life.
This work which was performed by a multi-national team lead by Dr. Kui Liu, reveals that the PI3K-PDK1 signaling in oocytes is the network that manipulates the length of fertility in females. At the same time, this work also provides novel information on how the menopausal biological clock is controlled, which until now has been a mystery to both researchers and physicians. This work is believed to be informative for revealing the genetic control of reproductive aging and timing of menopause. The study is published in the journal Human Molecular Genetics.
The research article is available here: http://hmg.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/ddp217
For more information, please contact Kui Liu at:
E-mail: kui.liu@medchem.umu.sePhone: +46 (0)90-786 77 62
Cell phone: +46 (0)73-620 50 64