Wellness
Scientists develop mini-ovaries that could advance infertility research
Scientists have successfully created laboratory-grown human ovary models from stem cells, marking a potential breakthrough in infertility and reproductive disorder research.
The findings, presented at the Joint Congress of the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and the European Society of Endocrinology, offer new insights into female reproductive development.
The miniature organoids replicate key structural and functional features of ovarian follicles, which contain eggs and the cells that nurture them.
Researchers at the Institut Pasteur in Paris developed the models by differentiating human induced pluripotent stem cells into granulosa-like cells—essential for egg maturation—and primordial germ cell-like cells, then combining them to form human ovaroids.
While other ovaroid models exist, this is the first to combine these cell types without using exogenous transcription factors.
“Transcription factors are proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences and turn nearby genes on or off, so using external ones can override the innate genetic programme of the cells, which makes the derived populations unsuitable for disease modelling,” said senior author Dr Anu Bashamboo.
The models could improve understanding of differences in sex development (DSDs), conditions in which sex chromosomes and gonadal or anatomical sex do not align. Though rare (1 in 4,500 births), milder forms affect around 1 in 200 people.
During early human development, gonads begin forming at four weeks and develop into testes or ovaries by week six, making the process difficult to study.
Over the past 15 years, scientists have identified numerous genes involved in atypical gonad development, but around half of DSD cases due to gonad formation still lack a genetic diagnosis.
The same team previously generated Sertoli cells—testicular support cells commonly affected in DSDs—from human stem cells. They showed that Sertoli cells with male chromosomes (XY) and a genetic variant linked to atypical testis development could not form the 3D tubular structures of testis cords.
“By creating human-specific, lab-grown models of both testicular and ovarian development using induced pluripotent stem cells, the research overcomes key limitations in the field—particularly the lack of suitable animal models due to poor conservation of developmental genes and mechanisms across species—and provides a powerful platform for studying gene function in a controlled environment,” said Dr Bashamboo.
The new models offer a scalable system that could aid reproductive disorder research and lead to treatments for ovarian dysfunction and infertility.
“Our work more broadly contributes a scalable, human-relevant model system to developmental biology, reproductive medicine and genetic diagnostics. It bridges the gap between basic science and clinical application, offering tools that could improve diagnostic yields and support the development of targeted treatments for individuals with DSDs and related reproductive disorders, including infertility and certain types of ovarian tumours,” said Dr Bashamboo.
Dr Bashamboo added: “Our model also opens up new possibilities for screening drugs and environmental toxins affecting human gonads, personalised medicine and future therapeutic interventions.”
Small bowel microbiome differences between women and men may help explain why some conditions are more common in women, a study suggests.
The small bowel microbiome is the community of microorganisms living in this part of the digestive tract, where they play vital roles in immune function, metabolism and hormonal regulation.
Researchers found differences between women and men in the composition and organisation of these microbial communities. One bacterial community containing Granulicatella was found only in women.
The study was conducted by investigators at Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University.
Ruchi Mathur, director of clinical research and clinical operations for the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) Program at Cedars-Sinai and corresponding author of the study, said: “One intriguing finding was a bacterial community containing Granulicatella, which we found only in women.
“Bacteria in this community appear at increased levels in women with polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome.”
The researchers also identified differences between women and men in how microbes in the small bowel produce fructans, complex carbohydrates known to trigger digestive symptoms in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
IBS is far more common in women than men.
Mathur, who is also a professor of medicine, said: “Our findings show that biological sex is a critical variable in the small bowel microbiome.
“We must consider it as we move toward more personalised approaches to understanding and treating disease.”
Weight loss surgery was linked to more regular periods and fewer polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS) symptoms in women aged 18 to 45 living with obesity in a recent study.
The researchers recommend that women undergoing the procedure have access to preconception care and reproductive counselling to support their reproductive health.
Researchers at the University of Surrey analysed data over 24 months from 84 women who underwent bariatric surgery and 18 women living with obesity who did not have surgery.
Of those who underwent surgery, 49 had gastric bypass procedures and 35 had gastric sleeve surgery.
Women who underwent metabolic bariatric surgery lost more than 30kg on average at 12 and 24 months after the procedure.
Among women with polycystic ovaries, the condition persisted in only 10 per cent after 24 months.
Women also reported a resolution of clinical hirsutism, or excess body hair, by 12 months.
Women who had previously experienced irregular periods reported more regular menstrual cycles after surgery.
Professor Martin Whyte, co-author of the study and professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Surrey, said: “A large proportion of those undergoing bariatric surgery are women of reproductive age, who may be planning a pregnancy in the coming years.
“So much remains unknown about the impact of this type of surgery on women who are planning to have children.
“This raises the question of when the ideal time after surgery is to conceive.”
Women have a higher prevalence of obesity than men, with 57 per cent of women in the UK classified as overweight and 27 per cent living with obesity, which can affect fertility and the health of an unborn baby.
The researchers said 17 women had healthy pregnancies following surgery.
Although this was not specifically examined in the study, no difference in birth weight was observed between babies conceived within or after the first year.
Dr Kathryn Hart, co-author of the study and associate professor in nutrition and dietetics at the University of Surrey, said: “What we have found is that bariatric surgery positively affects the reproductive health of women living with obesity and can improve the likelihood of them having a healthy pregnancy after surgery.
“Dysregulated hormone levels, irregular periods and conditions such as polycystic ovaries are affected by obesity.
“By reducing this, what we have seen is that it can lead to improvements without the need for medication.
“We would suggest that clinicians consider medical intervention for obesity to treat irregularities in the menstrual cycle and issues with fertility.”
Young women are more likely than young men to get health and wellness information from social media influencers, a US survey has found.
Among adults aged 18 to 29, 57 per cent of women said they received health and wellness information from influencers, compared with 47 per cent of men.
The Pew Research Center study surveyed 5,023 US adults and examined how young people consume health and wellness content online.
Local university students said influencer content frequently appeared in their social media feeds.
Kabija Koroma, a local university student, said: “It’s more exercise stuff, more like protein and like meals and like how to get ready and like the outfits of the day of videos on TikTok or lately. My favourite ones.”
About 51 per cent of women under 30 said they often consumed influencer content focused on beauty and personal appearance, compared with 18 per cent of men.
The study also found that 21 per cent of women often saw content about therapies outside mainstream medicine, compared with 10 per cent of men.
At least one-third of both young women and young men often encountered influencer content about mental health and weight loss. Around half or more of both groups regularly saw fitness-related content.
Another local university student, Ania Davis, said: “I see a lot like how to meal prep and how to get your morning started. Affirmations stuff. But I do also ask the adults around me because sometimes the internet is not right.”
Researchers also looked at why young adults sought health and wellness information from influencers.
About 51 per cent of young women said they watched the content because they wanted to change their health or lifestyle.
Women were also more likely than men to say they enjoyed hearing from people who shared their background or beliefs, at 23 per cent compared with 14 per cent.
Nineteen per cent of young women said they used influencer content to learn about topics they did not want to ask their doctors about, compared with 10 per cent of young men.
Despite regularly using social media, some students said they did not rely solely on influencer content when making decisions about their health and wellness.
Koroma said: “I’m always on TikTok 24/7 and Instagram, but I also like to ask people older than me because I don’t know everything.”
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