Regulation of primordial germ cell development in the mouse

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the founders of the gametes. They arise at the earliest stages of embryonic development and migrate to the gonadal ridges, where they differentiate into oogonia/oocytes in the ovary, and prospermatogonia in the testis. The present article is a review of the main studies undertaken by the author with the aim of clarifying the mechanisms underlying the development of primordial germ cells. Methods for the isolation and purification of migratory and post-migratory mouse PGCs devised in the author's laboratory are first briefly reviewed. Such methods, together with the primary culture of PGCs onto suitable cell feeder layers, have allowed the analysis of important aspects of the control of their development, concerning in particular survival, proliferation and migration of mouse PGCs. Compounds and growth factors affecting PGC numbers in culture have been identified. These include survival anti-apoptotic factors (SCF, LIF) and positive regulators of proliferation (cAMP, PACAPs, RA). Evidence has been provided that the motility of migrating PGCs relies on integrated signals from extracellular matrix molecules and the surrounding somatic cells. Moreover, homotypic PGC-PGC interaction has been evidenced that might play a role in PGC migration and in regulating their development. Several molecules (i.e. integrins, specific types of oligosaccharides, E-cadherin, the tyrosine kinase receptor c-kit) have been found to be expressed on the surface of PGCs and to mediate adhesive interactions of PGCs with the extracellular matrix, somatic cells and neighbouring PGCs.     

Response to fibronectin of mouse primordial germ cells before, during and after migration.

The adhesive extracellular matrix glycoprotein fibronectin is thought to play a central role in cell migration during embryogenesis. In order to define this role, we have examined the response to fibronectin in cell culture of mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) before, during and after their migration from the hindgut into their target tissue, the genital ridges. Using an explant culture system, we show that PGCs will emigrate from tissue fragments containing hindgut, and that fibronectin stimulates this migration. Adhesion assays show that the start of PGC migration is associated with a fall in adhesion to fibronectin. Double-labelling studies using in situ hybridization and histochemistry demonstrate that migrating PGCs do not contain detectable fibronectin mRNA, suggesting that they do not synthesize and secrete the fibronectin within their migratory substratum. Taken together, these findings are consistent with an important role for fibronectin in stimulating PGC migration. In addition, however, they suggest that the interaction between PGCs and fibronectin may be important in timing the start of migration, with the fall in adhesion allowing the PGCs to commence their migration towards the genital ridges.     

Distribution and space-time relationship of proteoglycans in the extracellular matrix of the migratory pathway of primordial germ cells in mouse embryos.

In this paper we present an in situ ultrastructural cytochemical study on the distribution and spatial-temporal expression of proteoglycans (PGs) in the extracellular matrix of the migratory pathway of mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) during the different phases of migration, by the use of the cationic dye ruthenium hexammine trichloride (RHT). Embryos of 9, 10, 11 and 12 days of development were used. The treatment with RHT revealed PGs as electron dense layers, granules, and filaments. Whereas granules prevailed in the extracellular spaces of the migratory route during the whole migratory process, the amount of filamentous structures increased during the migration phase of PGCs. At the end of the migratory process the surface of the PGCs lost its reaction by RHT. There were differences in the size of the granules of PGs at the initial migratory period (9-day-old embryos) as compared with the other days of gestation. There was a strong reaction for PGs in the extracellular spaces, expressed as a meshwork of granules interconnected by filaments, as well as reaction on the basement membranes during the peak of the PGCs migration in 10-day-old embryos. These results support the hypothesis that these molecules may have an important role in the migration of PGCs, although the precise mechanism involved in this process is not yet clear.     

Analysis of SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling in primordial germ cell migration and survival or differentiation in Xenopus laevis

Directional migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) toward future gonads is a common feature in many animals. In zebrafish, mouse and chicken, SDF-1/CXCR4 chemokine signaling has been shown to have an important role in PGC migration. In Xenopus, SDF-1 is expressed in several regions in embryos including dorsal mesoderm, the target region that PGCs migrate to. CXCR4 is known to be expressed in PGCs. This relationship is consistent with that of more well-known animals. Here, we present experiments that examine whether chemokine signaling is involved in PGC migration of Xenopus. We investigate: (1) Whether injection of antisense morpholino oligos (MOs) for CXCR4 mRNA into vegetal blastomere containing the germ plasm or the precursor of PGCs disturbs the migration of PGCs? (2) Whether injection of exogenous CXCR4 mRNA together with MOs can restore the knockdown phenotype? (3) Whether the migratory behavior of PGCs is disturbed by the specific expression of mutant CXCR4 mRNA or SDF-1 mRNA in PGCs? We find that the knockdown of CXCR4 or the expression of mutant CXCR4 in PGCs leads to a decrease in the PGC number of the genital ridges, and that the ectopic expression of SDF-1 in PGCs leads to a decrease in the PGC number of the genital ridges and an increase in the ectopic PGC number. These results suggest that SDF-1/CXCR4 chemokine signaling is involved in the migration and survival or in the differentiation of PGCs in Xenopus.     

The mechanism for primordial germ-cell migration is conserved between Japanese eel and zebrafish

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are segregated and specified from somatic cells during early development. These cells arise elsewhere and have to migrate across the embryo to reach developing gonadal precursors. Several molecules associated with PGC migration (i.e. dead-end, nanos1, and cxcr4) are highly conserved across phylum boundaries. However, since cell migration is a complicated process that is regulated spatially and temporally by multiple adaptors and signal effectors, the process is unlikely to be explained by these known genes only. Indeed, it has been shown that there are variations in PGC migration pattern during development among teleost species. However, it is still unclear whether the actual mechanism of PGC migration is conserved among species. In this study, we studied the migration of PGCs in Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) embryos and tested the migration mechanism between Japanese eel and zebrafish (Danio rerio) for conservation, by transplanting eel PGCs into zebrafish embryos. The experiments showed that eel PGCs can migrate toward the gonadal region of zebrafish embryos along with endogenous PGCs, even though the migration patterns, behaviors, and settlements of PGCs are somewhat different between these species. Our results demonstrate that the migration mechanism of PGCs during embryonic development is highly conserved between these two distantly related species (belonging to different teleost orders).     

Chemoattractant action and molecular signaling pathways of Kit ligand on mouse primordial germ cells

Using a Transwell chamber as migration assay for mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs), we show here that these cells posses directional migration in the absence of somatic cell and defined matrix support and in response to a Kit ligand (KL) gradient or medium conditioned by Aorta/Gonad/Mesonephros and gonadal ridges. Other putative PGC chemoattractants such as SDF1 and TGFbeta did not exert any attractive action on PGCs. The chemoattractant activity of KL and conditioned medium was also evidenced by their ability to stimulate actin reorganization in PGCs. In the aim to identify downstream signaling pathways governing KL chemoattraction on PGCs, we demonstrated that in such cells KL rapidly (5 min) increased autophosphorylation of its receptor c-Kit and caused phosphorylation of the serine-threonine kinase AKT through the action of PI3K. 740Y-P peptide, a direct activator of PI3 kinase, stimulated PGC migration at levels similar to those elicited by KL. LY294002 (a specific inhibitor of PI3K) abolished KL-dependent PGC migration or the chemoattractant activity of the conditioned medium and inhibited AKT phosphorylation; Src kinase inhibitors PP2 and SU6656, caused significant reduction of the KL-dependent PGC migration and AKT phosphorylation, while U0126, a selective inhibitor of the MEK/ERK protein kinase cascade, reduced PGC migration and AKT phosphorylation at lesser extent. SU6656 completely abolished the chemoattractant activity of the conditioned medium. Finally, SB202190 (a p38 inhibitor) and rapamycin (mTOR inhibitor) did not affect PGC migration. In addition, to demonstrate that somatic cells are not essential for PGC motility and directional migration, we evidenced a novel role for KL as PGC chemoattractant and for PI3K/AKT and Src kinase, as players involved in the activation of the PGC migratory machinery and likely important for their directional movement towards the gonadal ridges.     

Sequential SDF1a and b-induced mobility guides Medaka PGC migration

Assembly and formation of the gonad primordium are the first steps toward gonad differentiation and subsequent sex differentiation. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) give rise to the gametes that are responsible for the development of a new organism in the next generation. In many organisms, following their specification the germ cells migrate toward the location of the prospective gonadal primordium. To accomplish this, the PGCs obtain directional cues from cells positioned along their migration path. One such cue, the chemokine SDF1 (stromal cell-derived factor 1) and its receptor CXCR4 have recently been found to be critical for proper PGC migration in zebrafish, chick and mouse.We have studied the mechanisms responsible for PGC migration in Medaka. In contrast to the situation observed in zebrafish, where proper PGC positioning is the result of active migration in the direction of the source of SDF1a, Medaka PGC movements are shown to be the consequence of a combination of active SDF1a and SDF1b-guided migration. In this process both SDF1 co-orthologues show only partly overlapping expression pattern and cooperate in the correct positioning of the PGCs.     

Coactivation of STAT and Ras is required for germ cell proliferation and invasive migration in Drosophila

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) undergo proliferation, invasion, guided migration, and aggregation to form the gonad. Here we show that in Drosophila, the receptor tyrosine kinase Torso activates both STAT and Ras during the early phase of PGC development, and coactivation of STAT and Ras is required for PGC proliferation and invasive migration. Embryos mutant for stat92E or Ras1 have fewer PGCs, and these cells migrate slowly, errantly, and fail to coalesce. Conversely, overactivation of these molecules causes supernumerary PGCs, their premature transit through the gut epithelium, and ectopic colonization. A requirement for RTK in Drosophila PGC development is analogous to the mouse, in which the RTK c-kit is required, suggesting a conserved molecular mechanism governing PGC behavior in flies and mammals.     

Ror2 enhances polarity and directional migration of primordial germ cells

The trafficking of primordial germ cells (PGCs) across multiple embryonic structures to the nascent gonads ensures the transmission of genetic information to the next generation through the gametes, yet our understanding of the mechanisms underlying PGC migration remains incomplete. Here we identify a role for the receptor tyrosine kinase-like protein Ror2 in PGC development. In a Ror2 mouse mutant we isolated in a genetic screen, PGC migration and survival are dysregulated, resulting in a diminished number of PGCs in the embryonic gonad. A similar phenotype in Wnt5a mutants suggests that Wnt5a acts as a ligand to Ror2 in PGCs, although we do not find evidence that WNT5A functions as a PGC chemoattractant. We show that cultured PGCs undergo polarization, elongation, and reorientation in response to the chemotactic factor SCF (secreted KitL), whereas Ror2 PGCs are deficient in these SCF-induced responses. In the embryo, migratory PGCs exhibit a similar elongated geometry, whereas their counterparts in Ror2 mutants are round. The protein distribution of ROR2 within PGCs is asymmetric, both in vitro and in vivo; however, this asymmetry is lost in Ror2 mutants. Together these results indicate that Ror2 acts autonomously to permit the polarized response of PGCs to KitL. We propose a model by which Wnt5a potentiates PGC chemotaxis toward secreted KitL by redistribution of Ror2 within the cell.     

Preimplantation expression of the somatic form of Dnmt1 suggests a role in the inheritance of genomic imprints

Background

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the embryonic precursors of the sperm and eggs. Environmental or genetic defects that alter PGC development can impair fertility or cause formation of germ cell tumors.

Results

We demonstrate a novel role for cholesterol during germ cell migration in mice. Cholesterol was measured in living tissue dissected from mouse embryos and was found to accumulate within the developing gonads as germ cells migrate to colonize these structures. Cholesterol synthesis was blocked in culture by inhibiting the activity of HMG CoA reductase (HMGCR) resulting in germ cell survival and migration defects. These defects were rescued by co-addition of isoprenoids and cholesterol, but neither compound alone was sufficient. In contrast, loss of the last or penultimate enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis did not alter PGC numbers or position in vivo. However embryos that lack these enzymes do not exhibit cholesterol defects at the stage at which PGCs are migrating. This demonstrates that during gestation, the cholesterol required for PGC migration can be supplied maternally.

Conclusion

In the mouse, cholesterol is required for PGC survival and motility. It may act cell-autonomously by regulating clustering of growth factor receptors within PGCs or non cell-autonomously by controlling release of growth factors required for PGC guidance and survival.     

Control of lateral migration and germ cell elimination by the Drosophila melanogaster lipid phosphate phosphatases Wunen and Wunen 2

In most organisms, primordial germ cells (PGCs) arise far from the region where somatic gonadal precursors (SGPs) are specified. Although PGCs in general originate as a single cluster of cells, the somatic parts of the gonad form on each site of the embryo. Thus, to reach the gonad, PGCs not only migrate from their site of origin but also split into two groups. Taking advantage of high-resolution real-time imaging, we show that in Drosophila melanogaster PGCs are polarized and migrate directionally toward the SGPs, avoiding the midline. Unexpectedly, neither PGC attractants synthesized in the SGPs nor known midline repellents for axon guidance were required to sort PGCs bilaterally. Repellent activity provided by wunen (wun) and wunen-2 (wun-2) expressed in the central nervous system, however, is essential in this migration process and controls PGC survival. Our results suggest that expression of wun/wun-2 repellents along the migratory paths provides faithful control over the sorting of PGCs into two gonads and eliminates PGCs left in the middle of the embryo.     

Migration,proliferation and potency of primordial germ cells

In most species, the cells allocated to the germ line, the primordial germ cells (PGCs) arise very early in embryo-genesis, and migrate to join the somatic cells at the site where the gonad will form. In three widely studied animals; the mouse, the frog and Drosophila, the PGCs associate with the developing gut, from which they migrate during the period of organogenesis to the gonads. During this migration, the germ cell population increases by an amount which is more or less constant for a particular species. Genes important in the control of PGC migration and population are being identified in two ways. In invertebrates, and to a lesser extent in mice, genetic approaches have identified important loci or gene products. Culturing PGCs in a variety of conditions has been an alternative approach in mouse embryos. From these latter studies, it is now known that a number of growth factors, released from surrounding tissues, control many aspects of PGC behaviour, including their proliferation, migration, potency, and survival. Attention is also focusing on changes in PGC adhesiveness during migration.     

Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Signaling and Primordial Germ Cell Development

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) give rise to sperms and eggs. Their development is crucial to species propagation and has to be precisely controlled. Studies in several model organisms have identified many genes involved in the specification and guided migration of PGCs. However, the mechanisms governing the behaviors of this unique type of cells remain to be investigated. Interestingly, PGCs share certain cellular properties with metastasizing cancer cells including proliferation, invasion of other tissues, survival, and migration. Recently we have shown that in Drosophila the receptor tyrosine kinase Torso activates both STAT and Ras during the early phase of PGC development. In later stages, activation of both STAT and Ras, likely by other molecules, is required continuously for PGC migration. The requirement for RTK suggests molecular conservation between flies and mice in PGC development and also suggests that germ cells and cancer cells share certain intracellular signaling strategies.     

Receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and primordial germ cell development

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) give rise to sperms and eggs. Their development is crucial to species propagation and has to be precisely controlled. Studies in several model organisms have identified many genes involved in the specification and guided migration of PGCs. However, the mechanisms governing the behaviors of these unique cells remain to be investigated. Interestingly, PGCs share certain cellular properties with metastasizing cancer cells including proliferation, invasion of other tissues, survival and migration. Recently we have shown that in Drosophila the receptor tyrosine kinase Torso activates both STAT and Ras during the early phase of PGC development. In later stages, activation of both STAT and Ras, likely by other molecules, is required continuously for PGC migration. The requirement for RTK suggests molecular conservation between flies and mice in PGC development and also suggests that germ cells and cancer cells share certain intracellular signaling strategies.     

Primordial germ cell migration in the chick and mouse embryo: the role of the chemokine SDF-1/CXCL12

As in many other animals, the primordial germ cells (PGCs) in avian and reptile embryos are specified in positions distinct from the positions where they differentiate into sperm and egg. Unlike in other organism however, in these embryos, the PGCs use the vascular system as a vehicle to transport them to the region of the gonad where they exit the blood vessels and reach their target. To determine the molecular mechanisms governing PGC migration in these species, we have investigated the role of the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1/CXCL12) in guiding the cells towards their target in the chick embryo. We show that sdf-1 mRNA is expressed in locations where PGCs are found and towards which they migrate at the time they leave the blood vessels. Ectopically expressed chicken SDF-1alpha led to accumulation of PGCs at those positions. This analysis, as well as analysis of gene expression and PGC behavior in the mouse embryo, suggest that in both organisms, SDF-1 functions during the second phase of PGC migration, and not at earlier phases. These findings suggest that SDF-1 is required for the PGCs to execute the final migration steps as they transmigrate through the blood vessel endothelium of the chick or the gut epithelium of the mouse.     

In vitro adhesion of mouse fetal germ cells to extracellular matrix components

Mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs) isolated from the dorsal mesentery and gonadal ridges of 10.5–12.5 days post coitum (dpc) embryos showed a progressively increasing adhesiveness to laminin and fibronectin coated substrates, whereas type I collagen and various glycosaminoglycans (hyaluronic acid, heparin and chondroitinsulphates) were poor adhesive substrates. At later stages germ cells appeared to lose their adhesiveness to fibronectin and laminin substrates; the ability to adhere to laminin decreased very rapidly in male and slowly in female germ cells. Oocytes and prospermatogonia from 15.5 dpc fetal gonads showed poor adhesiveness to all substrates tested. PGC adhesion to laminin and fibronectin substrates did not require calcium but was markedly trypsin sensitive. Antibodies against the fibronectin receptor of CHO fibroblasts and short peptides containing the Arg-Gly-Asp sequence greatly reduced PGC adhesion to fibronectin. Following adhesion to laminin or fibronectin, most PGCs did not exhibit a morphology typical of motile cells, but remained spherical. A significant proportion (about 30%) of oocytes from 13.5–14.5 dpc embryos appeared, however, able to spread and elongate following attachment to laminin. The results support the hypothesis that mouse PGCs may utilize laminin and/or fibronectin as adhesive substrates during migration and gonad colonization, but indicate that additional factors are probably required to promote PGC motility. In addition, our data provide indirect evidence that binding sites for specific components of extracellular matrix are present in PGCs, and that their expression may be developmentally regulated.