Preserving the oocyte reserve

A Cornell University team has shown how knocking out checkpoint kinase 2 can preserve fertility in mice.¹ The results suggest that companies have an opportunity with this kinase, which is less pursued than the well-trodden cancer target checkpoint kinase 1, to prevent chemotherapy- and radiotherapy-induced premature menopause and infertility.

Oocytes that contain genetic errors, such as unrepaired DNA double-...