REVIEW article
Front. Endocrinol.
Sec. Reproduction
This article is part of the Research TopicAdvances on Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Reproduction - From Gametogenesis to FertilizationView all 6 articles
The Role of Mitophagy in Female Reproductive System Diseases: From Molecular Mechanisms to Therapeutic Strategies
Provisionally accepted
- 1First Clinical Medical College;Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory and Unit of Infertility in Chinese Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital,, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 2Department of Internal Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital,, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 3First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Key Laboratory and Unit of Infertility in Chinese Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital,, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
- 5Department of Physiology/Endocrinology, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg,, Goteborgs universitet, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Mitophagy is a catabolic mechanism that selectively degrades damaged mitochondria and precisely modulates mitochondrial content, thereby maintaining intracellular homeostasis under stress conditions. To date, most reviews on mitophagy have predominantly focused on neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disorders, cancer, metabolic syndromes, and inflammation-or immune-related diseases. In recent years, accumulating evidence has highlighted the critical involvement of mitophagy in various physiological and pathological processes associated with female reproduction. This review systematically synthesizes existing evidence to elucidate the regulatory roles of mitophagy during the occurrence and development of follicles, oocyte fertilization, and embryo implantation, as well as its essential contributions to the pathogenesis of endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, primary ovarian insufficiency, and ovarian aging. Furthermore, we outline current therapeutic strategies targeting mitophagy while emphasizing the potential value of traditional Chinese medicine. Our aim is to provide novel insights into the regulatory network and specific targets of mitophagy in female reproduction, facilitate clinical translation, and offer innovative approaches for managing female reproductive health.
Keywords: mitophagy, Mitochondrial function, Mitochondrial quality control, female reproductive, female reproductive dysfunction
Received: 12 Jun 2025; Accepted: 29 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 ZHAO, WANG, HAN, JIANG, JI and Zhang. 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: Yuehui Zhang, chizishui-04@163.com
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