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Event: 1883
Key Event Title
Reduced size of the ovarian follicle pool
Short name
Biological Context
Level of Biological Organization |
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Organ |
Organ term
Organ term |
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ovary sex cord |
Key Event Components
Key Event Overview
AOPs Including This Key Event
AOP Name | Role of event in AOP | Point of Contact | Author Status | OECD Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Inhibition of ALDH1A leading to reduced fertility | KeyEvent | Terje Svingen (send email) | Under development: Not open for comment. Do not cite | Under Development |
Taxonomic Applicability
Life Stages
Life stage | Evidence |
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Fetal | High |
Sex Applicability
Term | Evidence |
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Female | High |
Key Event Description
Formation of the follicle pool (follicle assembly)
During fetal life, primordial germ cells migrate to the genital ridges where they arrange into germ cell nests and proceed through to meiosis prophase I (Pepling & Spradling, 2001). Assembly into individual follicles occurs via mechanisms that are not well known, but involves germ cell nest break down and a reduction in oocyte numbers via programmed cell death. Somatic pre-granulosa cells infiltrate between the oocytes, arrange around them in a single layer, and establish what is called the primordial follicles (Escobar et al, 2008; Gawriluk et al, 2011; Pepling & Spradling, 2001). The primordial follicles constitute the follicle pool - a limited stock of oocytes that are available for maturation and potential fertilization determining the length of a female’s reproductive life span (Grive & Freiman, 2015).
The timing of follicle assembly differs between mammalian species, but the processes involved seem to be relatively well conserved (Grive & Freiman, 2015). In humans, follicle assembly occurs during mid-gestation whereas in mice and rats it is initiated around the time of birth and continues until approximately six days post partum.
Reduced follicle pool as Key Event
An intact follicle pool is critical for female fertility. Any disruption to the formation of the final pool can have adverse consequences for reproductive capacity, leading to sub- or infertility. Loss of oocytes/follicles can occur during any of the abovementioned stages during the process of follicle assembly – oocyte nest breakdown, programmed cell death or somatic pre-granulosa cell intrusion. Follicle assembly and establishment of the functional follicle pool is also dependent on the stages occurring before this process, e.g. migration of primordial germ cells to the genital ridges, sex determination and meiosis.
How It Is Measured or Detected
In animal studies, counting of follicles of different sizes is included in OECD guidelines: TG 416 (Two-Generation Reproductive Toxicity Study) and TG 443 (Extended One-Generation Reproductive Toxicity Study). It is a time-consuming and labor-intensive method and it is not recommended to compare values between studies (Tilly, 2003).
In humans, there is no direct way to count the follicle pool in vivo. Instead, surrogate markers are used. The most established biomarker for estimation of the follicle pool is anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). It is readily measured in a blood sample and the levels are rather stable throughout the menstrual cycle (Broer et al, 2014).
The size of the pool can also be measured indirectly by mRNA and protein expression of meiotic markers, or by assessing overall ovary histology by histological assessments (Zhang et al, 2012).
Domain of Applicability
Follicle assembly occur in females during fetal life (humans) or around and after birth (rodents). Many of the mechanisms involved are preserved between mice, rats and humans.