title: Differential expression of the Oct-4 transcription factor during mouse germ cell differentiation.
abstract: The POU transcription factor Oct-4 is expressed in early mouse embryogenesis and in pluripotent ES and EC stem cell lines. After gastrulation in the embryo, Oct-4 expression is confined to the germline. The present study provides evidence that Oct-4 undergoes downregulation during oogenesis and spermatogenesis, coincident with entry into meiosis. Furthermore, analysis of maturation stages of oocytes showed that Oct-4 is upregulated de novo in the final stages of meiotic prophase I in female germ cells. These data suggest that Oct-4 downregulation in germ cells in both sexes might represent one of the molecular triggers involved in the commitment to meiosis. The upregulation of Oct-4 in oocytes at the completion of the prophase I of meiotic division further suggests a specific involvement of this transcription factor in oocyte growth or the acquisition of meiotic competence.
authors.affiliation: EMBL, Gene Expression Programme, Meyerhofstrasse 1, D69012, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pesce
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Wolgemuth
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schöler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494174:Pou5f1 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors