title: A transgenic zebrafish model of targeted oocyte ablation and de novo oogenesis.
abstract: We describe here a novel transgenic zebrafish, Tg(zpc:G4VP16/UAS:nfsB-mCherry) that effectively demonstrates the targeted oocyte ablation in the adult zebrafish ovary. This transgenic line expresses bacterial nitroreductase enzyme (nfsB) under the control of the oocyte-specific zona pellucida C (zpc) gene promoter. Adult transgenic females exposed to the prodrug metronidazole demonstrated near-complete ablation of growing oocytes, resulting in ovarian degeneration and complete cessation of reproductive function. Within 4 weeks of prodrug removal, treated fish demonstrated complete anatomical regeneration of the ovary and, within 7 weeks, ovarian function (fertility) was fully restored. Together, these results demonstrate functional renewal of the oocyte pool in the adult zebrafish ovary. Accordingly, this transgenic zebrafish model system provides a novel means to investigate ovarian growth dynamics in a genetically tractable vertebrate, and may be useful for evaluating signaling interactions that regulate gonadal development processes such as de novo oogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Vincent Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. yabrown@partners.org
authors.forename: Yvonne A R
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Dori C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: Antony W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D023421:Models, Animal; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D011355:Prodrugs; D008795:Metronidazole