The reversible developmental unipotency of germ cells in chicken.
We recently developed bimodal germline chimera production approaches by transfer of primordial germ cells (PGCs) or embryonic germ cells (EGCs) into embryos and by transplantation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) or germline stem cells (GSCs) into adult testes. This study was undertaken to investigate the reversible developmental unipotency of chicken germ cells using our established germline chimera production systems. First, we transferred freshly isolated SSCs from adult testis or in vitro cultured GSCs into stage X and stage 14-16 embryos, and we found that these transferred SSCs/GSCs could migrate to the recipient embryonic gonads. Of the 527 embryos that received SSCs or GSCs, 135 yielded hatchlings. Of 17 sexually mature males (35.3%), six were confirmed as germline chimeras through testcross analysis resulting in an average germline transmission efficiency of 1.3%. Second, PGCs/EGCs, germ cells isolated from embryonic gonads were transplanted into adult testes. The EGC transplantation induced germline transmission, whereas the PGC transplantation did not. The germline transmission efficiency was 12.5 fold higher (16.3 vs 1.3%) in EGC transplantation into testis (EGCs to adult testis) than that in SSC/GSC transfer into embryos (testicular germ cells to embryo stage). In conclusion, chicken germ cells from different developmental stages can (de)differentiate into gametes even after the germ cell developmental clock is set back or ahead. Use of germ cell reversible unipotency might improve the efficiency of germ cell-mediated germline transmission.
Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-921, Republic of Korea.
Jin Gyoung
JG
Jung
Young Mok
YM
Lee
Jin Nam
JN
Kim
Tae Min
TM
Kim
Ji Hye
JH
Shin
Tae Hyun
TH
Kim
Jeong Mook
JM
Lim
Jae Yong
JY
Han
D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D000818:Animals; D054337:Cell Dedifferentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D017690:Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens; D002678:Chimera; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D016256:Lewis X Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012671:Seminiferous Tubules / Q000166:cytology; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism
D016256:Lewis X Antigen