title: Spermatogenesis from epiblast and primordial germ cells following transplantation into postnatal mouse testis.
abstract: Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are derived from a population of pluripotent epiblast cells in mice. However, little is known about when and how PGCs acquire the capacity to differentiate into functional germ cells, while keeping the potential to derive pluripotent embryonic germ cells and teratocarcinomas. In this investigation, we show that epiblast cells and PGCs can establish colonies of spermatogenesis after transfer into postnatal seminiferous tubules of surrogate infertile mice. Furthermore, we obtained normal fertile offspring by microinsemination using spermatozoa or spermatids derived from PGCs harvested from fetuses as early as 8.5 days post coitum. Thus, fetal male germ cell development is remarkably flexible, and the maturation process, from epiblast cells through PGCs to postnatal spermatogonia, can occur in the postnatal testicular environment. Primordial germ cell transplantation techniques will also provide a novel tool to assess the developmental potential of PGCs, such as those manipulated in vitro or recovered from embryos harboring lethal mutations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Development and Differentiation, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chuma
authors.forename: Mito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanatsu-Shinohara
authors.forename: Kimiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Narumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogonuki
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Miki
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toyokuni
authors.forename: Mihoko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hosokawa
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakatsuji
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shinohara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D018392:Genomic Imprinting; D005838:Genotype; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology; D013087:Spermatids / Q000378:metabolism; D013091:Spermatogenesis; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology*; D013997:Time Factors