The proteostatic landscape of healthy human oocytes

ABSTRACT: Oocytes, female germ cells that develop into eggs, are among the longest-lived cells in the animal body. Recent studies on mouse oocytes highlight unique adaptations in protein homeostasis (proteostasis) within these cells. However, the mechanisms of proteostasis in human oocytes remain virtually unstudied. We present the first large-scale study of proteostatic activity in human oocytes using over 100 freshly donated oocytes from 21 healthy women aged 19-34 years. We analyzed the activity and distribution of lysosomes, proteasomes, and mitochondria in both immature and mature oocytes. Notably, human oocytes exhibit nearly 2-fold lower proteolytic activity than surrounding somatic cells, with further decreases as oocytes mature. Oocyte maturation is also coupled with lysosomal exocytosis an

SUBMITTER: Elvan Boke 

PROVIDER: S-SCDT-10_1038-S44318-025-00493-2 | biostudies-other |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other