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Mechanism of programmed cell death in follicular atresia

WANG Xin, JIANG Yi-Long, WANG Ze-Long, KANG Bo^*

College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China

Abstract

Apoptosis and autophagy of follicular granulosa cells play an important regulatory role in the process of ovarian follicular atresia in animals. Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis and pyroptosis are also involved in the process of ovarian follicular atresia. Ferroptosis is a form of cell death caused by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Studies have confirmed that autophagy- and apoptosis-mediated follicular atresia also have typical characteristics of ferroptosis. Pyroptosis is a pro-inflammatory cell death dependent on Gasdermin protein, which can regulate ovarian reproductive performance by regulating follicular granulosa cells. This article reviews the roles and mechanisms of several types of programmed cell death independently or interactively regulating follicular atresia, in order to expand the theoretical research on follicular atresia mechanism and provide the theoretical reference for the mechanism of programmed cell death-induced follicular atresia.

Key words: Follicular atresia; programmed cell death; apoptosis; autophagy; ferroptosis;

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 康波　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2022.0076

Citing This Article：

WANG Xin, JIANG Yi-Long, WANG Ze-Long, KANG Bo. Mechanism of programmed cell death in follicular atresia. Acta Physiol Sin 2023; 75 (1): 82-90 (in Chinese with English abstract).