title: Derivation of male germ cells from bone marrow stem cells.
abstract: Recent studies have demonstrated that somatic stem cells have a more flexible potential than expected, whether put into tissue or cultured under different conditions. Bone marrow (BM)-derived stem cells can transdifferentiate into multilineage cells, such as muscle of mesoderm, lung and liver of endoderm, and brain and skin of ectoderm origin. Here we show that BM stem cells are able to transdifferentiate into male germ cells. For derivation of male germ cells from adult BM stem (BMS) cells, we used the Stra8-enhanced green fluoresence protein (EGFP) transgenic mouse line expressing EGFP specifically in male germ cells. BMS cell-derived germ cells expressed the known molecular markers of primordial germ cells, such as fragilis, stella, Rnf17, Mvh and Oct4; as well as molecular markers of spermatogonial stem cells and spermatogonia including Rbm, c-Kit, Tex18, Stra8, Piwil2, Dazl, Hsp90alpha, beta1- and alpha6-integrins. Our ability to derive male germ cells from BMS cells reveals novel aspects of germ cell development and opens the possibilities for use of these cells in reproductive medicine.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Human Genetics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany. knayern@gwdg.de
authors.forename: Karim
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nayernia
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Drusenheimer
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wulf
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dressel
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gromoll
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D015415:Biomarkers; D011506:Proteins; C102019:Stra8 protein, mouse; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D014212:Tretinoin