Cornell University researchers have identified a new pathway that helps control ovulation, offering a possible breakthrough in the treatment of infertility and ovarian diseases. The discovery may also help improve contraceptive methods.
The study focuses on Semaphorin 3E (Sema3E), a protein that helps cells communicate. Scientists have known that semaphorin proteins play important roles in the nervous, immune, and vascular systems. They are also linked to cancer. Now, researchers have found that Sema3E has another important job—helping regulate ovulation in mice.
The findings were published on May 20 in the journal Advanced Science. The study was led by Hanxue Zhang, a postdoctoral associate working in the lab of Yi Athena Ren. Ren is an assistant professor of animal science in Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Ten Cornell researchers and two collaborators from Baylor College of Medicine co-authored the paper.
This new understanding of how ovulation is controlled may open the door to new treatments for people struggling with infertility. It may also lead to better ways to manage ovarian disorders and develop new contraceptives.
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