Harvard researchers have identified a way to isolate and manipulate oogonial stem cells (OSCs) with greater efficacy and validity than current methods. OSCs facilitate oocyte production in the ovary and serve as a foundation for promising new fertility treatments. Therefore, the ability to isolate OSCs is critical for the development and practice of many potential fertility-preservation and gene therapy applications. Current methods to purify OSCs have been based on an antibody raised against the OSC-expressed protein DDX4. Harvard researchers have discovered another target of the DDX4 antibodies. Clarification into the mechanism of DDX4-antibodies has elucidated a new and distinct membrane target against which antibodies can be generated and used alongside those of DDX4 or independently. The addition of these new antibodies will increase the reliability and efficiency of isolating and manipulating OSCs.