The primordial follicle reserve is not renewed after chemical or γ-irradiation mediated depletion

Abstract

Reports indicate that germ-line stem cells present in adult mice can rapidly generate new oocytes and contribute to the primordial follicle reserve following conditions of ovotoxic stress.We further investigated the hypothesis that adult mice have the capacity to generate new oocytes by monitoring primordial follicle numbers throughout postnatal life and following depletion of the primordial follicle reserve by exposure to doxorubicin (DXR), trichostatin A (TSA), or whole-body γ-irradiation. We show that primordial follicle number remains stable in adult C57BL/6 mice between the ages of 25 and 100 days. However, within 2 days of treatment with DXR or TSA, primordial follicle numbers had decl..