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.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New discovery: Synapse hiding in the mice brain may advance our understanding of neuronal communicationThe latest study focused on serotonin receptors in the brain, crucial for memory, fear, and attentiveness.
Read more »
Yale Scientists Discover Clues to What Makes the Human Brain DifferentWhat distinguishes the human brain from that of all other animals — including even our closest primate relatives? Yale researchers identified species-specific — particularly human-specific — features in an analysis of cell types in the prefrontal cortex of four primate species. They reported their f
Read more »
More Accurate Than Test Scores: Scientists Discover a New Way To Measure LearningBrain scans predict students' learning better than exam results and show the underlying structure of thinking. According to recent research published in Science Advances, the conventional exams and grades that schools have long employed may evaluate learning less accurately than brain scans. The st
Read more »
Biologists Marvel at Pristine Deep Coral ReefResearchers say this thriving reef near Tahiti is one of the largest healthy mesophotic reefs known to scientists.
Read more »
Scientists Discover the Biggest Dinosaur in EuropeFound in Portugal, the fossilized dino appears to be a sauropod, one of the largest animals to live on land. Dinosaurs Dinosaurfossils Dinosaur fossils
Read more »