“Brand New Paradigm” – Scientists Discover How Human Eggs Remain Healthy for Decades
Immature human egg cells skip a crucial metabolic pathway thought to be important for generating energy, according to research from the Center for Genomic Regulation (CRG) that was published in the journal Nature. The metabolism of the cells is altered to halt the production of reactive oxygen species, which are harmful chemicals that can build up, harm DNA, and result in cell death. The study reveals how human egg cells can remain fertile while latent in the ovaries for up to 50 years. "Humans are born with their entire lifetime's worth of egg cells. Humans are the only terrestrial mammals who live the longest, thus egg cells must preserve their immaculate state while avoiding a lifetime of wear and tear. We demonstrate that this issue can be resolved by omitting a crucial metabolic process that is also the primary cause of cell damage. It functions similarly to turning on standby mode on batteries as a long-term maintenance method. The study's first author, Dr. Aida Rodr...