Advances in ovarian follicle culture systems: exploring the interplay between cells, matrix, and ovarian architecture

The ability to develop oocytes from the earliest follicular stages through maturation and fertilization in vitro would revolutionize fertility preservation in human medicine and animal breeding. Instead, current assisted reproductive technologies rely only on a limited portion of the female gamete reserve, corresponding to the antral population, while the preantral follicle reserve remains unexploited, mainly due to a lack of knowledge regarding the mechanisms that guide preantral follicle differentiation and folliculogenesis in vitro. This review highlights the efforts made thus far and suggests an approach to studying the mechanisms and ovarian environment to enhance preantral follicle culture systems.