Transcriptional and signaling dynamics of early folliculogenesis revealed by staged ovarian follicle profiling

In this study, we used single follicle RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify transcriptional signatures of staged ovarian follicles isolated from CD-1 mice, encompassing primordial to secondary stages, to uncover the genes and pathways involved in early folliculogenesis.

Our findings demonstrate that primordial follicles are transcriptionally distinct from activated follicles. We found enrichment in DNA integrity and RNA processing pathways in primordial follicles, which may play a role in preserving oocyte genomic stability and cell state during dormancy. To better distinguish growing follicle stages, we leveraged weighted gene co-expression analysis to assess differential coordination of gene co-expression programs.