Lipid and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Oocyte and Embryo Development

Lipid and fatty acid metabolism is central to the maturation of the oocyte and the subsequent development of the embryo. Fatty acids serve not only as dense energy substrates but also as precursors for membrane biogenesis, signalling lipids and steroid hormones. Within the oocyte, neutral lipids are sequestered in lipid droplets and mobilised through beta-oxidation in mitochondria to generate ATP. A finely tuned balance between carbohydrate and fatty acid oxidation is essential to minimise damaging reactive oxygen species while meeting high energetic demands. Lipid composition and droplet dynamics change markedly during oocyte maturation, fertilisation and early cleavage stages, reflecting shifts in metabolic programming. Maternal diet, age and metabolic health influence the profile of non-esterified fatty acids in the follicular fluid and can alter oocyte competence and embryo viability. Disruption of lipid homeostasis—whether through oxidative damage, obesity-related lipotoxicity or suboptimal fatty acid supply—leads to impaired fertilisation rates, altered epigenetic landscapes and compromised implantation. Technological advances in label-free lipid imaging and lipid fingerprinting promise non-invasive assessment of oocyte quality, with potential to improve outcomes in both clinical and agricultural settings. Understanding interspecies variations in lipid content and metabolic flux informs global strategies to enhance reproductive success across mammals.

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Lipid and Fatty Acid Metabolism in Oocyte and Embryo Development publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in lipid and fatty acid metabolism in oocyte and embryo development across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Lipid droplet: Intracellular organelle that stores neutral lipids and releases fatty acids for energy production.

Non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs): Free fatty acids circulating in the follicular fluid or bloodstream, available for uptake by cells.

Beta-oxidation: Mitochondrial pathway that degrades fatty acids to acetyl-CoA, generating ATP and NADH.

Lipid fingerprint: Profile of lipid droplet size, number and chemical composition used to assess oocyte quality.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules derived from oxygen that can damage lipids, proteins and DNA.

Exosomes: Extracellular vesicles secreted by embryos that facilitate communication with the maternal endometrium.

References

1. Role of functional fatty acids in modulation of reproductive potential in livestock. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology (2023).
2. Female-age-dependent changes in the lipid fingerprint of the mammalian oocytes. Human Reproduction (2024).
3. Mitochondria and lipid metabolism in mammalian oocytes and early embryos. The International Journal of Developmental Biology (2019).
4. Exposure of bovine oocytes and embryos to elevated non-esterified fatty acid concentrations: integration of epigenetic and transcriptomic signatures in resultant blastocysts. BMC Genomics (2016).
5. Fatty acid composition of the follicular fluid of normal weight, overweight and obese women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment: a descriptive cross-sectional study. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology (2014).
6. Quantitative imaging of lipids in live mouse oocytes and early embryos using CARS microscopy. Development (2016).
7. Lipid droplets in mammalian eggs are utilized during embryonic diapause. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2021).
8. Oleic acid induces specific alterations in the morphology, gene expression and steroid hormone production of cultured bovine granulosa cells. General and Comparative Endocrinology (2016).