London, Oct 8 (IANS): Researchers have identified a key molecule that protects women's eggs against problems that can arise during the maturation process.

In this study, conducted on mice, they found that the molecule "Greatwall kinase" helps eggs clear the first stage and move on to the second meiotic division during the maturation of the egg.

When Greatwall kinase is removed from the egg, not all the maturation stages can be completed.

"Instead, the egg enters an interphase with an abnormal DNA structure and problematic cell cycles. These problems make the females infertile," said professor Kui Liu from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden.

He believes it is highly likely that Greatwall kinase is important in the human egg maturation process.

"If we discover that there are women whose eggs do not mature due to levels of 'Greatwall kinase' being too low, we can inject the molecule into the egg," Liu added.

Hopefully, the maturation process will thereby be corrected, and eventually the woman may be able to have children, researchers concluded.