Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Aug 13;113(2):373-386.
doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioaf122.

Single-cell analysis of ovarian myeloid cells identifies age-associated changes in macrophages and signaling dynamics†

Zijing Zhang  1   2 , Lu Huang  3 , Lynae Brayboy  4 , Michael Birrer  1   2
Affiliations

Single-cell analysis of ovarian myeloid cells identifies age-associated changes in macrophages and signaling dynamics†

Zijing Zhang et al. Biol Reprod. .

Abstract

The aging of mammalian ovary is accompanied by an increase in tissue fibrosis and heightened inflammation. Myeloid cells, including macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, and neutrophils, play pivotal roles in shaping the ovarian tissue microenvironment and regulating inflammatory responses. However, a comprehensive understanding of the roles of these cells in the ovarian aging process is lacking. To bridge this knowledge gap, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry analysis to functionally characterize CD45+ CD11b+ myeloid cell populations in young (3 months old) and aged (14-17 months old) murine ovaries. Our dataset unveiled the presence of five ovarian macrophage subsets, including a Cx3cr1lowCd81hi subset unique to the aged murine ovary. Most notably, our data revealed significant alterations in ANNEXIN and TGFβ signaling within aged ovarian myeloid cells, which suggest a novel mechanism contributing to the onset and progression of aging-associated inflammation and fibrosis in the ovarian tissue. In summary, our study revealed age-related changes in ovarian myeloid cells using single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry, and identified distinct macrophage subsets and signaling alterations that may contribute to the inflammaging process of the ovary.

Keywords: ANXA; TGFβ; aging; inflammation; macrophages; microenvironment; myeloid cells; ovary; single-cell RNA sequencing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Update of