Age-associated increased stiffness of the ovarian microenvironment impairs follicle development and oocyte quality and rapidly alters follicle gene expression
Sara Pietroforte, Makenzie Plough, Farners Amargant
Hydrogels matching aged mouse ovary stiffness (5.85 kPa vs 0.84 kPa) cut follicle survival to 6.66% to 30%, reduce estradiol up to 533-fold, and alter 135 genes within 6 hours.