Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41674822›Full record

ArticleResearch square2026

Senescence-Linked Fibrosis in the Aging Human Ovary Revealed by p16-Based Histological Profiling and Spatial Transcriptomics.

Birgit Schilling, Mark Watson, Pooja Devrukhkar, Natalia Murad, Fan Wu, Moo Joong Kim, Hannah Anvari, Uyen Tran, Nicolas Martin, Tommy Tran and 10 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in Research square, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Birgit SchillingBuck Institute for Research on Aging.ORCID 0000-0001-9907-2749
Mark WatsonBuck Institute for Research on Aging.
Pooja DevrukhkarNorthwestern University.
Natalia MuradBuck Institute for Research on Aging.
Fan Wujohns hopkins University.
Moo Joong Kimjohns hopkins University.
Hannah AnvariNorthwestern University.
Uyen TranNorthwestern University.
Nicolas MartinBuck Institute for Research on Aging.
Tommy TranBuck Institute for Research on Aging.
Giuliana ZazaBuck Institute for Research on Aging.
Kevin SchneiderBuck Institute.ORCID 0009-0001-8046-0167
Bikem Soygur KayaThe Buck Reproductive Biology Hub.
Elisheva ShanesNorthwestern University.
Denis WirtzJohns Hopkins University.
MaryEllen PavoneNorthwestern University.
Simon MelovBuck Institute for Research on Aging.ORCID 0000-0001-8554-2834
Pei Hsun WuJohns Hopkins University.ORCID 0000-0002-7371-2960
David FurmanBuck Institute for Research on Aging.ORCID 0000-0002-3654-9519
Francesca DuncanNorthwestern.ORCID 0000-0002-3756-9394

Funding

Senescent cell mapping, identification and validation for human somatic and reproductive tissuesU54AG075932 · NIA · BUCK INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON AGING · PI Simon Melov, Birgit Schilling · 2021 to 2026
$12.5M
Three-dimensional maps of senescence in the human pancreasUH3CA275681 · NCI · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI WU, PEI-HSUN · 2024 to 2025
$1.7M
NCI NIH HHS UH3 CA275681NIA NIH HHS U54 AG075932
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cellular senescence is implicated as a driver of ovarian aging, but senescent cells in the human postmenopausal ovary remain poorly defined. Using spatially resolved p16INK4a protein expression, a canonical senescence marker, we identified and mapped senescent cells in postmenopausal ovaries. We integrated p16 immunohistochemistry, multiplexed immunofluorescence, spatial transcriptomics, and AI-guided digital pathology to map senescent microenvironments. p16-positive cells formed discrete stromal, vascular, and cyst-associated clusters that increased with age and were enriched for macrophages and myofibroblast-like cells. Whole-transcriptome profiling of 92 spatial regions uncovered a 32-gene p16-associated signature, BuckSenOvary, that distinguished p16-positive regions across cortex and medulla. BuckSenOvary is characterized by suppression of cell-cycle regulators and activation of inflammatory and extracellular-matrix remodelling genes. AI-based collagen matrix analysis confirmed that p16-positive regions exhibit more architecturally complex collagen, demonstrating that focal senescent microenvironments are fibro-inflammatory. These findings position senescent ovarian niches as therapeutic targets to preserve ovarian function.

Indexed as

fibrosismenopauseovarian agingSenescencespatial transcriptomics

Identifiers

PMID41674822
PMCPMC12889806

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.