Fertility treatment to stimulate ovarian follicles by inhibiting Hippo signaling

Researchers in Prof. Aaron Hsueh's laboratory have discovered a technique to promote fertility by stimulating the growth of ovarian follicles (functional units that produce oocytes) through disrupting the Hippo signaling pathway. The conserved Hippo pathway normally functions to maintain optimal size across organs and species. Disrupting the pathway in the ovaries (either through direct or downstream inhibitors) promotes the growth of follicles that can then be induced to produce mature oocytes through conventional FSH and hCG treatments. This approach has both human and veterinary applications and may be particularly well-suited for treating conditions of diminished ovarian reserve (such as primary ovarian insufficiency, polycystic ovary syndrome, or peri-menopause).