title: Does MAX open up a new avenue for meiotic research?
abstract: Meiosis is a central event of sexual reproduction. Like somatic cells, germ cells conduct mitosis to increase their cell number, but unlike somatic cells, germ cells switch their cell division mode from mitosis to meiosis at a certain point in gametogenesis. However, the molecular basis of this switch remains elusive. In this review article, we give an overview of the onset of mammalian meiosis, including our recent finding that MYC Associated Factor X (MAX) prevents ectopic and precocious meiosis in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and germ cells, respectively. We present a hypothetical model of a MAX-centered molecular network that regulates meiotic entry in mammals and propose that inducible Max knockout ESCs provide an excellent platform for exploring the molecular mechanisms of meiosis initiation, while excluding other aspects of gametogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1241, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayumu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1241, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirasaki
authors.affiliation: Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1241, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5298-5564
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okuda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005718:Gametogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008540:Meiosis / Q000235:genetics*; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008957:Models, Genetic; D012106:Research / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D050976:Basic-Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors; C067850:Myc associated factor X
keywords: 
  Max
  ; PRC1.6; gametogenesis; meiosis; mitosis