Gonads, Female: Development and Regeneration Potential

Today biologists are breaking new ground in understanding stem cells and the implication of [Page 459]stem cell therapy on clinical medicine. Stem cell research is now targeting implementation of this knowledge into current medical practice. Recent findings in stem cell biology have presented new perspectives and opportunities for the treatment of reproductive diseases in women. One of the long-held dogmas of embryologically fixed numbers of oocytes is quickly vanishing. These new studies and findings have placed increased importance on understanding ovarian development and identifying the stem cell potential of various ovarian cells.

This article summarizes the current understanding of the development of female gonads and the novel studies that highlight the regeneration potential, under controlled conditions, of various ovarian cells having characteristics similar to those of ...