The mystery of how oocytes may become dormant without losing their ability to reproduce has been solved by researchers at the CRG. According to research from the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) published in the journal Nature, immature human egg cells bypass a critical metabolic process believe
Human eggs are formed in the ovaries throughout fetal development and go through several phases of maturation.
“Humans are born with all the supply of egg cells they have in life. As humans are also the longest-lived terrestrial mammal, egg cells have to maintain pristine conditions while avoiding decades of wear-and-tear. We show this problem is solved by skipping a fundamental metabolic reaction that is also the main source of damage to the cell. As a long-term maintenance strategy, it’s like putting batteries on standby mode.
A complex protein and enzyme known as complex I is the usual ‘gatekeeper’ that initiates the reactions required to generate energy in mitochondria. This protein is fundamental, working in the cells that constitute living organisms ranging from yeast to blue whales. However, the researchers found that complex I is virtually absent in oocytes. The only other type of cell known to survive with depleted complex I levels are all the cells that make up the parasitic plant mistletoe.
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