Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences localized at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, and shorten during ovarian aging. The molecular background of telomere shortening during ovarian aging is not fully understood. As the telomerase components (TERT and Terc) and telomere-associated proteins (TRF1, TRF2, and POT1a) play key roles in the elongation and maintenance of telomeres, we aimed to determine their spatial and temporal expression and cellular localization in the mouse ovaries at the different ages of postnatal life. For this purpose, five groups were generated based on the ovarian histological changes in the postnatal mouse ovaries as follows: young (1- and 2-week-old; n = 3 from each week), prepubertal (3- and 4-week-old; n = 3 from each week), pubertal (5- and 6-week-old; n = 3 from each week), postpubertal (16- and 18-week-old; n = 3 from each week) and aged (52-, 60- and 72-week-old, n = 3 from each week). We found significant changes for the Tert, Terc, Trf1, Trf2, and Pot1a genes expression in the postnatal ovary groups from young to aged (P < 0.05) as well as in the follicles from primordial to antral stages and their oocytes and granulosa cells. Also, we have detected gradually decreasing telomere length from young to aged groups (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the altered Tert, Terc, Trf2, and Pot1a genes expression compatible with telomere shortening may be associated with ovarian aging.

端粒是位于真核染色体末端的重复DNA序列，在卵巢衰老过程中会缩短。卵巢衰老过程中端粒缩短的分子背景尚不完全清楚。作为端粒酶成分（TERT和Terc）和端粒相关蛋白（TRF1，TRF2和POT1a）在端粒的延长和维持中起关键作用，我们旨在确定它们在出生后不同年龄的小鼠卵巢中的时空表达和细胞定位。为此，根据出生后小鼠卵巢的卵巢组织学变化，分为五组：年轻（1周和2周大；每周n = 3），青春期前（3周和4周）年龄大； n =每周3个），青春期（5周和6周； n =每周3个），青春期后（16周和18周； n =每周3个）和年龄（ 52周，60周和72周，n = 3（每周）。我们发现Tert，Terc，Trf1，Trf2和Pot1a基因在年轻到老年的产后卵巢组中表达（P  <0.05），并且在原始到肛门期的卵泡及其卵母细胞和颗粒细胞中表达。此外，我们已经发现端粒长度从年轻到老年组逐渐减少（P  <0.001）。总之，与端粒缩短兼容的Tert，Terc，Trf2和Pot1a基因表达的改变可能与卵巢衰老有关。