In a recent publication in Tissue Engineering, Oncofertility Consortium researchers examined the use of mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) in conjunction with a 3D-hydrogel-supported culture of ovarian follicles. Authors, Tagler, Tu, Smith, Anderson, Tingen, Woodruff, and Shea, found that coculture with the MEFs resulted in the survival and growth of primary and secondary follicles during the 14 days of culture. In “Embryonic Fibroblasts Enable the Culture of Primary Ovarian Follicles Within Alginate Hydrogels,” follicle survival was 70% for secondary follicles and 23% for primary follicles, compared to 0% survival without the MEF coculture. Furthermore, surviving follicles achieved additional milestones, indicating that MEF-secreted factors can be identified and utilized for fertility preservation puropses.
