title: Transcriptional coactivator undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 expressed in spermatogonial stem cells: a putative marker of boar spermatogonia.
abstract: Spermatogenesis is initiated from spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), which are derived from gonocytes. Although some rodent SSC markers have been investigated, other species- and developmental stage-specific markers of spermatogonia have not been identified. The objective of this study was to characterize the expression of undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (UTF1) gene as a potential marker for spermatogonia and SSCs in the boar testis. In boar testis tissue at pre-pubertal stages (tissues collected at 5, 30, and 60 days of age), UTF1 gene expression was detected in almost all spermatogonia cells that expressed a protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5), and immunocytochemical analysis of isolated total testicular cells showed that 91.14% of cells staining for PGP9.5 also stained for UTF1. However, in boar testis tissue at pubertal and post-pubertal stages (tissues collected at 90, 120, 150, and 180 days of age), UTF1 was not detected in all PGP9.5-positive cells in the basement membrane. While some PGP9.5-positive cells stained for UTF1, other cells stained only for PGP9.5 or UTF1. PGP9.5, UTF1, and NANOG was assessed in in vitro cultures of pig SSCs (pSSCs) from testes collected at 5 days of age. The relative amounts of PGP9.5, NANOG, and UTF1 mRNA were greater in pSSC colonies than in testis and muscle tissue. Thus, the UTF1 gene is expressed in PGP9.5-positive spermatogonia cells of pigs at 5 days of age, and its expression is maintained in cultured pSSC colonies, suggesting that UTF1 is a putative marker for early-stage spermatogonia in the pre-pubertal pig testis. These findings will facilitate the study of spermatogenesis and applications in germ cell research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Bioscience, RIBH, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chung-ju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Won-Young
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Bioscience, RIBH, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chung-ju 380-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Chungbuk National University, Choung-ju 361-763, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Tae
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Chungbuk National University, Choung-ju 361-763, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hyung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biotechnology, Konkuk University, 1 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jin-Hoi
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, College of Life Science, CHA University, Seongnam 463-836, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Konkuk University, 1 Hwayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 143-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Suwon 441-706, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hak-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Horse, Companion, and Wild Animal Science, College of Animal Science, Kyungpook National University, Sangju 742-711, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Bioscience, RIBH, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chung-ju 380-701, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: lovelyhusband@kku.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyuk
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
keywords: Pig; Protein gene product 9.5; Spermatogenesis; Spermatogonial stem cell; Undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1