Primordial germ cell proliferation is impaired in Fused Toes mutant embryos.
Over the first 4 days of their life, primordial germ cells invade the endoderm, migrate into and through the developing hindgut, and traverse to the genital ridge where they cluster and ultimately inhabit the nascent gonad. Specific signal-receptor combinations between primordial germ cells and their immediate environment establish successful migration and colonization. Here we demonstrate that disruption of a cluster of six genes on murine chromosome 8, as exemplified by the Fused Toes (Ft) mutant mouse model, results in severely decreased numbers of primordial germ cells within the early gonad. Primordial germ cell migration appeared normal within Ft mutant embryos; however, germ cell counts progressively decreased during this time. Although no difference in apoptosis was detected, we report a critical decrease in primordial germ cell proliferation by E12.5. The six genes within the Ft locus include the IrxB cluster (Irx3, -5, -6), Fts, Ftm, and Fto, of which only Ftm, Fto, and Fts are expressed in primordial germ cells of the early gonad. From these studies, we have discovered that the Ft locus on mouse chromosome 8 is associated with cell cycle deficits within the primordial germ cell population that initiates just before translocation into the genital ridge.
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Bongki
B
Kim
Youngha
Y
Kim
Rui
R
Sakuma
Chi-Chung
CC
Hui
Ulrich
U
Rüther
Joan S
JS
Jorgensen
D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002452:Cell Count; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006066:Gonads / Q000196:embryology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D017931:DNA Primers; C109729:Fts protein, mouse; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011506:Proteins