title: Generation of a novel germline stem cell line expressing a germline-specific reporter in the mouse.
abstract: Germline stem (GS) cells are stem cell lines derived from postnatal male germline cells. Remarkably, GS cells can form functional spermatozoa when transplanted into infertile host mouse testes, indicating that GS cells have spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) activity. As GS cells are the only type with SSC activity, they are most suitable for in vitro studies on male germ cell differentiation. However, GS cells can deviate from the germ cell state to become other types of cells, depending on culture conditions. Therefore, it is desirable to have a monitor system to ensure that GS cells are kept at the germ cell state in culture. Here, we established GS cell lines from neonatal testes of transgenic mice that express the fluorescent protein, Venus, whose gene expression is driven by the promoter of Mvh (mouse Vasa homolog), a gene highly specific to mammalian germ cells. This novel cell line has genuine GS cell properties equivalent to existing GS lines, including the ability to generate viable offspring. This Mvh-Venus GS cell line, to our knowledge, is the first one expressing a germ cell-specific reporter. This valuable resource should provide new opportunities for studies on male germ cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Technology and Development Team for Mammalian Cellular Dynamics, RIKEN BioResource Center, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirosuke
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shiura
authors.forename: Rieko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Jiyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Narumi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogonuki
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirose
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogura
authors.forename: Takehiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Kuniya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D010641:Phenotype; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; C054562:yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria; C090864:Ddx4 protein, mouse; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases
keywords: GS cell; Mvh (mouse Vasa homolog); spermatogenesis