Research on the Growth and Development of Germ Cells

Dear Colleagues,

Female reproductive health depends on a finite pool of primordial follicles, established before birth, named the ovarian reserve. Mammalian follicles require close contact and interaction with oocytes and surrounding granulosa cells for their development. Yet, the regulatory signaling mechanisms underlying folliculogenesis remain to be fully elucidated. Physical contact, as well as biochemical crosstalk between somatic cells and oocytes, cannot be reconstituted by traditional 2D cultures, and animal experimentation has been considered the gold standard for these studies. Despite their clear value, extrapolations of animal data to human health remain inefficient. Obtaining further knowledge in this field would benefit greatly from the development of 3D culture systems of human ovarian tissue to evaluate follicle development and microenvironment, with important implications for human reproduction.

In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, reviews, and perspectives elucidating the mechanisms involved in follicle development and the maintenance of ovarian reserve.

Dr. Stefania Gonfloni
Guest Editor

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• follicle development
• premature ovarian insufficiency
• signal transduction
• apoptosis autophagy
• aging
• reproductive biotechnology
• organ-on-chip