Dppa3 / Pgc7 / stella is a maternal factor and is not required for germ cell specification in mice.
BACKGROUND
In mice, germ cells are specified through signalling between layers of cells comprising the primitive embryo. The function of Dppa3 (also known as Pgc7 or stella), a gene expressed in primordial germ cells at the time of their emergence in gastrulating embryos, is unknown, but a recent study has claimed that it plays a central role in germ cell specification.


RESULTS
To test Dppa3's role in germ cell development, we disrupted the gene in mouse embryonic stem cells and generated mutant animals. We were able to obtain viable and fertile Dppa3-deficient animals of both sexes. Examination of embryonic and adult germ cells and gonads in Dppa3-deficient animals did not reveal any defects. However, most embryos derived from Dppa3-deficient oocytes failed to develop normally beyond the four-cell stage.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that Dppa3 is an important maternal factor in the cleavage stages of mouse embryogenesis. However, it is not required for germ cell specification.
Bortvin
Alex
A
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Whitehead Institute, and Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA. bortvin@wi.mit.edu
Goodheart
Mary
M
Liao
Michelle
M
Page
David C
DC
D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006066:Gonads / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D011506:Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology*
D001685:Biological Factors; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; C462180:Dppa3 protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D012097:Repressor Proteins