Abstract
Crosstalk between oocytes and surrounding somatic cells is crucial for mammalian oogenesis, but the structural mechanisms on oocytes to control female reproduction remain unknown. Here we combine endogenous-fluorescent tracing mouse models with a high-resolution live-cell imaging system to characterize oocyte-derived mushroom-like microvilli (Oo-Mvi), which mediate germ-somatic communication in mice. We perform 3D live-cell imaging to show that Oo-Mvi exhibit cellular characteristics that fit an exocrine function for signaling communication. We find that deletion of the microvilli-forming gene Radixin in oocytes leads to the loss of Oo-Mvi in ovaries, and causes a series of abnormalities in ovarian development, resulting in shortened reproductive lifespan in females. Mechanistically, we find that Oo-Mvi enrich oocyte-secreted factors and control their release, resulting in optimal selection of ovarian follicles. Taken together, our data show that the Oo-Mvi system controls the female reproductive lifespan by governing the fate of follicles.