Decoding the molecular makeup of the human ovary through single-cell transcriptomics

Abstract

The human ovary is responsible for producing eggs and steroid hormones necessary for reproduction. Ovarian factors, such as anovulation, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and decreased egg quality, can lead to female infertility. Although advances have been made in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and fertility preservation approaches, there is still a demand for new treatments and approaches for ovarian diseases and female infertility. The main obstacle to developing effective approaches is the lack of knowledge about the human ovary, especially the cellular development and molecular basis of oogenesis and folliculogenesis processes. The advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) techniques have opened up opportunities for studying the transcriptomes of human ovarian cells, decoding cell types and sub-populations, and identifying signature genes during oogenesis and folliculogenesis. In my research, we utilized the scRNA-seq technique to provide valuable transcriptomic datasets of human ovarian cells, contributing to the establishment of the molecular landscape of human oogenesis and folliculogenesis.