Ex vivo live imaging unveils the dynamics of oocyte formation in mice

Oocyte formation in mammals is a tightly regulated process essential for female fertility, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we establish an ex vivo culture system that faithfully recapitulates in vivo development and enables long-term live imaging of mouse fetal ovaries. Using high resolution imaging, we capture the dynamic behaviors of germ cells during the development from oogonia to nascent oocytes. We identify pronounced blebbing activity during the mitosis-to-meiosis transition. This behavior is regulated by meiotic initiation signals, underscoring its potential developmental relevance, although its precise role remains unclear. A prevailing model suggests that oocyte formation involves organelle transfer from neighboring germ cells during cyst breakdown. However, through photoconversion-based tracking, we observe no detectable transfer of mitochondria or centrosomes, as organelles remain confined to individual cells. These findings point to alternative mechanisms for cytoplasmic enrichment in oocytes. Our study provides new insights into mammalian oocyte formation and establishes a powerful platform for analyzing germ cell dynamics in real time.