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First published online December 8, 2004

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Flexible approach to sperm development

Many genetic and cellular changes occur as pluripotent mammalian epiblast cells develop through primordial germ cells (PGCs) into functional gametes. However, little is known about when and how PGCs acquire the capacity to differentiate into functional germ cells. Now, Chuma and co-workers show that male germ cell development unexpectedly does not require exposure to the somatic cells of the foetal gonad (see p. 117). In transplantation experiments, epiblast cells harvested from 6.5-day-old mouse embryos establish spermatogenesis after being transferred into immature postnatal testes of infertile mice, and PGCs transplanted from 8.5-day-old embryos onwards develop into fertile spermatozoa. Furthermore, the erasure of parental methylation that occurs in mid-gestation PGCs occurs in the transplanted cells, indicating that this important developmental event is programmed autonomously in the PGCs. The researchers conclude that male germline differentiation is remarkably flexible and can occur in the postnatal testis.

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Related articles in Development:

Spermatogenesis from epiblast and primordial germ cells following transplantation into postnatal mouse testis

Shinichiro Chuma, Mito Kanatsu-Shinohara, Kimiko Inoue, Narumi Ogonuki, Hiromi Miki, Shinya Toyokuni, Mihoko Hosokawa, Norio Nakatsuji, Atsuo Ogura, and Takashi Shinohara
Development 2005 132: 117-122. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?