world
Mouse Study Finds Ovaries Shift to Immune-Cell Activity After Menopause
A study published in Molecular Human Reproduction found that aging mouse ovaries fill with immune cells producing pro-inflammatory signals rather than shutting down. The change occurs after the point when ovaries stop producing eggs for 12 consecutive months. Researchers said the shift may influence whole-body aging through ongoing inflammation.
nypost.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
A study published in Molecular Human Reproduction examined the ovaries of mice as they aged and found that the glands became filled with immune cells producing pro-inflammatory signals. com reported that after the point when ovaries stop producing eggs for 12 consecutive months, the mouse ovaries shifted to producing immune cells and undergoing inflammaging instead of shutting down completely.
Low-grade chronic inflammation is linked to age-related diseases through ongoing tissue damage.
Nypost.com reported that 90 percent of cancers are diagnosed after age 50. Dr. Brian Brown stated that in a healthy situation the immune system fights off infection and eliminates cancer cells before shutting itself off, but that particularly after the age of 40 bodies have more difficulty dampening down inflammation.
Francesca Duncan stated that the findings challenge the assumption that the post-reproductive ovary is inert, instead indicating that it acquires an immune identity with potential endocrine and paracrine influence on whole-body aging. The ovarian study was conducted on mice, which do not fully mimic the human body but share evolutionary history that may offer hints about human processes.
