Autoimmunity and the ovary

The ovary was first documented as a target of autoimmunity over three decades ago yet today the aetiology and pathogenesis of autoimmune-mediated premature ovarian failure (POF) are poorly understood. Here, Roy and Helga Moncayo provide a brief overview of human autoimmune-mediated POF and the animal models of POF. They propose a model for the development of the disease, highlighting the role of supraphysiological levels of gonadotropins in inducing selectively antigenic mature ovarian elements.