Multinucleated giant cells are hallmarks of ovarian aging with unique immune and degradation-associated molecular signatures.

ABSTRACT: The ovary is one of the first organs to exhibit signs of aging, characterized by reduced tissue function, chronic inflammation, and fibrosis. Multinucleated giant cells (MNGCs), formed by macrophage fusion, typically occur in chronic immune pathologies, including infectious and non-infectious granulomas and the foreign body response, but are also observed in the aging ovary. The function and consequence of ovarian MNGCs remain unknown as their biological activity is highly context-dependent, and their large size has limited their isolation and analysis through technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing. In this study, we define ovarian MNGCs through a deep analysis of their presence across age and species using advanced imaging technologies as well as their unique transcriptome using

SUBMITTER: Converse A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12185119 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature