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Oocyte biology and cellular dormancy

Oocytes — female germ cells that become eggs — form during fetal development and remain in the ovary for decades. This makes oocytes some of the longest-lived cells in a female body. Yet, despite their age, oocytes retain the ability to give rise to a new, young organism. Our lab studies the strategies and cellular mechanisms through which oocytes evade ageing for decades, and why these strategies eventually fail with age and affect fertility.