REVIEW article
Front. Cell Dev. Biol.
Sec. Molecular and Cellular Reproduction
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fcell.2025.1639691
Stage-specific autophagy dynamics in reproductive processes and associated disorders
Provisionally accepted
Jiayi Wang1
Shuo Tu2*- 1Queen Mary School, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
- 2School of Basic Medicine, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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Autophagy is a highly conserved eukaryotic process that degrades cytoplasmic material within lysosomes, and plays a crucial role in cellular development, function and homeostasis. Recent studies have increasingly revealed the connection between autophagy, reproduction, and related disorders. In this review, we summarize the regulatory mechanisms of autophagy and outline recent advances in understanding its role in pregnancy establishment and maintenance, including gametogenesis and embryonic development, decidualization, placentation, and immune regulation advances in understanding its role. Additionally, we discuss potential mechanisms by which altered autophagy contributes to pregnancy complications and reproductive disorders, such as spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, preterm birth, polycystic ovary syndrome, and endometriosis.
Keywords: Autophagy, gametogenesis and embryonic development, decidualization, spontaneous abortion, Preeclampsia
Received: 02 Jun 2025; Accepted: 16 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Wang and Tu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Shuo Tu, School of Basic Medicine, Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
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