title: Loss of Dnd1 facilitates the cultivation of genital ridge-derived rat embryonic germ cells.
abstract: Pluripotent cells referred to as embryonic germ cells (EGCs) can be derived from the embryonic precursors of the mature gametes: the primordial germ cells (PGCs). A homozygous mutation (ter) of the dead-end homolog 1 gene (Dnd1) in the rat causes gonadal teratocarcinogenesis and sterility due to neoplastic transformation and loss of germ cells. We mated heterozygous ter/+ WKY-Dnd1(ter)/Ztm rats and were able to cultivate the first genital ridge-derived EGCs of the rat embryo at day 14.5 post coitum (pc). Genotyping revealed that ten EGC lines were Dnd1 deficient, while only one wild type cell line had survived in culture. This suggests that the inactivation of the putative tumor suppressor gene Dnd1 facilitates the immortalization of late EGCs in vitro. Injection of the wild type EGCs into blastocysts resulted in the first germ-line competent chimeras. These new pluripotent rat EGCs offer an innovative approach for studies on germ cell tumor development as well as a new tool for genetic manipulations in rats.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Laboratory Animal Science, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, Hannover, Germany. Northrup.Emily@mh-hannover.de
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Northrup
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eisenblätter
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glage
authors.forename: Cornelia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rudolph
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dorsch
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schlegelberger
authors.forename: Hans-Jürgen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hedrich
authors.forename: Nils-Holger
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Zschemisch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C560748:Dnd1 protein, rat; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins