Abstract: With increasing age in women, the ovarian function declines, which leads to decreased follicle generation, declined female fertility and age-related diseases ultimately. Female germline stem cells are epithelial cells existing on the ovarian surface, which can divide into new stem cells symmetrically and differentiate into germ cells and granulosa cells asymmetrically. The discovery of female germline stem cells brings much hope for the post-natal renewal of oocytes and solving female infertility problems. Ovarian germline stem cell niche in which female germline stem cells live is the surrounding microenvironment which plays an essential role in maintaining the function of female germline stem cells. Many factors including nutrition supply, protein, cytokines and signaling pathways can control the biological characters of female germline stem cells, and also influence their prolife ration and differentiation. This paper reviewed the knowledge about the influencing factors and regulatory mechanisms of the function of ovarian germline stem cell niche.

Key words: ovarian germline stem cell niche, female germline stem cell, ovary aging, cytokine, Notch signaling pathway