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Czukiewska SM, Fan X, Mulder AA, Van Der Helm T, Hillenius S, Van Der Meeren L, Matorras R, Eguizabal C, Lei L, Koning RI, Chuva De Sousa Lopes SM. Cell-cell interactions during the formation of primordial follicles in humans. Life Sci Alliance 2023; 6:e202301926. [PMID: 37643865 PMCID: PMC10465921 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202301926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Gametogenesis is a complex and sex-specific multistep process during which the gonadal somatic niche plays an essential regulatory role. One of the most crucial steps during human female gametogenesis is the formation of primordial follicles, the functional unit of the ovary that constitutes the pool of follicles available at birth during the entire reproductive life. However, the relation between human fetal germ cells (hFGCs) and gonadal somatic cells during the formation of the primordial follicles remains largely unexplored. We have discovered that hFGCs can form multinucleated syncytia, some connected via interconnecting intercellular bridges, and that not all nuclei in hFGC-syncytia were synchronous regarding meiotic stage. As hFGCs progressed in development, pre-granulosa cells formed protrusions that seemed to progressively constrict individual hFGCs, perhaps contributing to separate them from the multinucleated syncytia. Our findings highlighted the cell-cell interaction and molecular dynamics between hFGCs and (pre)granulosa cells during the formation of primordial follicles in humans. Knowledge on how the pool of primordial follicle is formed is important to understand human infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylwia M Czukiewska
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Xueying Fan
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Adriaan A Mulder
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Talia Van Der Helm
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sanne Hillenius
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Lotte Van Der Meeren
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Pathology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
| | - Roberto Matorras
- IVIRMA, IVI Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain
- Human Reproduction Unit, Cruces University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Basque Country University, Bilbao, Spain
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Cristina Eguizabal
- Cell Therapy, Stem Cells and Tissues Group, Basque Centre for Blood Transfusion and Human Tissues, Galdakao, Spain
- Biocruces Bizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain
| | - Lei Lei
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Roman I Koning
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Electron Microscopy Facility, Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Susana M Chuva De Sousa Lopes
- https://ror.org/05xvt9f17 Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- https://ror.org/00xmkp704 Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium
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