Mapping the Human Ovary, Cell by Cell

Since 2016, a global consortium of researchers have been mapping the cells of the human body. Known as the Human Cell Atlas, the objective is to understand and improve health outcomes, particularly those related to the origins of disease. A recent contribution to the project advances that goal with respect to the ovary.

In a paper published in Science Advances in April, a group of University of Michigan scientists describe how they mapped the human ovary at the resolution of a single cell. Using spatial transcriptomics – an emerging technology that allows scientists to study the RNA sequence of a particular tissue, revealing which genes are being expressed – the team was able to both grasp the function of particular cells and locate them within the ovary.