Cholesterol induces proliferation of chicken primordial germ cells.
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the precursors of sperm and eggs and may serve as suitable cells for use in research in developmental biology and transgenic animals. However, the long-term propagation of PGCs in vitro has so far been plagued by the loss of their germ cell characteristics. This is largely because of the scarcity of knowledge concerning cell division and proliferation in these cells and the poor optimization of the culture medium. The sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway is involved in proliferation of many types of cells, but little is known about its role in chicken PGCs. The results of the current study indicate that the proliferation of chicken PGCs increases significantly when cholesterol, a molecule that facilitates the trafficking of HH ligands, is supplemented in the culture medium. This effect was attenuated when an SHH antagonist, cyclopamine was added, suggesting the involvement of SHH signaling in this process. The characterization of PGCs treated with cholesterol has shown that these cells express germ-cell-related markers and retain their capability to colonize the embryonic gonad after re-introduction to vasculature of stage-15 HH embryos, indicating that proliferation of PGCs induced by cholesterol does not alter the germ cell characteristics of these cells.
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Dongyang
D
Chen
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Meijuan
M
Chen
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Zhenping
Z
Lu
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Mengmeng
M
Yang
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Long
L
Xie
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Wenxin
W
Zhang
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Huiyan
H
Xu
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
Kehuan
K
Lu
State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-bioresources, Guangxi High Education Laboratory for Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, China. Electronic address: luyangqing@126.com.
Yangqing
Y
Lu
D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000066473:Embryonic Germ Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014704:Veratrum Alkaloids / Q000494:pharmacology
D014704:Veratrum Alkaloids; D002784:Cholesterol; C000541:cyclopamine
Chicken PGCs; Cholesterol; Proliferation; Sonic hedgehog signaling