Genital ridges exert long-range effects on mouse primordial germ cell numbers and direction of migration in culture

The functional gametes of all vertebrates first arise in the early embryo as a migratory population of cells, the primordial germ cells (PGCs). These migrate to, and colonise, the genital ridges (GR) during the early organogenesis period, giving rise to the complete differentiating gonad. PGCs first become visible by alkaline phosphatase staining in the root of the developing allantois at 8.5 days post coitum (dpc). At 9.5 dpc they are found in the wall of the hind-gut and, during the following three days, they migrate along the hind-gut mesentery to the dorsal body wall, and then to the genital ridges. By 12.5 dpc, the great majority of PGCs have colonised the genital ridges. During this period the number of PGCs increases from less than 100 to approximately 4000. In a previous paper (Donovan et al. 1986), we showed that 10.5 dpc PGCs can be explanted from the hind-gut mesentery, and will spread and migrate on feeder cell layers. We showed also that the intrinsic ability of PGCs to spread and migrate changes as they colonise the genital ridges. In this paper, we examine extrinsic factors that control PGC behaviour in vitro. Using PGCs taken from 8.5 dpc embryos, at the beginning of their migratory phase, we show that culture medium conditioned by 10.5 dpc genital ridges causes an increase in the number of PGCs in these cultures. We also show that PGCs migrate towards 10.5 dpc genital ridges in preference to other explanted organs. These experiments show that genital ridges exert long-range effects on the migrating population of PGCs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Altered primordial germ cell migration in the absence of transforming growth factor beta signaling via ALK5

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) inhibits proliferation and promotes the migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) towards explants of gonadal ridges in vitro. However, its effects in vivo are still unclear. Here, we analyzed the behavior of PGCs in embryos lacking TGFbeta signaling via the type I receptor ALK5. TGFbeta in vivo was neither a chemoattractant for PGCs, nor did it affect their proliferation during migration towards the gonadal ridges up to embryonic day (E)10. Unexpectedly, the absence of TGFbeta signaling in fact resulted in significant facilitation of PGC migration out of the hindgut, due to the reduced deposition of collagen type I surrounding the gut of Alk5-deficient mutant embryos. Migratory PGCs adhere strongly to collagen; therefore, reduced collagen type I along the gut may result in reduced adhesion, facilitating migration into the dorsal mesenterium and gonadal ridges. Our results provide new evidence for the role of TGFbeta signaling in migration of PGCs in vivo distinct from that described previously.     

Ectopic germline cells in embryos of Xenopus laevis

Whether all descendants of germline founder cells inheriting the germ plasm can migrate correctly to the genital ridges and differentiate into primordial germ cells (PGCs) at tadpole stage has not been elucidated in Xenopus. We investigated precisely the location of descendant cells, presumptive primordial germ cells (pPGCs) and PGCs, in embryos at stages 23-48 by whole-mount in situ hybridization with the antisense probe for Xpat RNA specific to pPGCs and whole-mount immunostaining with the 2L-13 antibody specific to Xenopus Vasa protein in PGCs. Small numbers of pPGCs and PGCs, which were positively stained with the probe and the antibody, respectively, were observed in ectopic locations in a significant number of embryos at those stages. A few of the ectopic PGCs in tadpoles at stages 44-47 were positive in TdT-mediated dUTP digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. By contrast, pPGCs in the embryos until stage 40, irrespective of their location and PGCs in the genital ridges of the tadpoles at stages 43-48 were negative in TUNEL staining. Therefore, it is evident that a portion of the descendants of germline founder cells cannot migrate correctly to the genital ridges, and that a few ectopic PGCs are eliminated by apoptosis or necrosis at tadpole stages.     

Differentiation of presumptive primordial germ cell (pPGC)-like cells in explants into PGCs in experimental tadpoles

A single blastomere containing the "germ plasm" of 32-cell stage Xenopus embryos was cultured with [3H]thymidine until the control embryos developed to the neurula stage. The explants, showing a spherical mass in which the nuclei of all cells were labeled, were implanted into the prospective place of presumptive primordial germ cells (pPGCs) in the endodermal cell mass of unlabeled host embryos of the neurula stage. Labeled PGCs as well as unlabeled, host PGCs were found in the genital ridges of experimental tadpoles. This indicates that the precursor of germ cells, corresponding to pPGCs in normal embryos of the neurula stage, in the explants migrated to genital ridges just at the right moment to become PGCs, and suggests that the developmental process progressed normally, even in the explants, as far as the differentiation of pPGCs is concerned.     

Members of the ErbB receptor tyrosine kinases are involved in germ cell development in fetal mouse gonads.

To isolate the genes involved in mouse primordial germ cell (PGC) development, we carried out subtraction cDNA cloning between PGC-derived embryonic germ (EG) cells and inner cell mass-derived embryonic stem cells. Among the genes preferentially expressed in EG cells, we found a gene encoding a receptor tyrosine kinase ErbB3. By in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining, the expression of ErbB3 as well as that of ErbB2, a coreceptor for ErbB3, was detected in PGCs in genital ridges at 12.5 dpc (days postcoitum). The expression was, however, downregulated at 14.5 dpc when the PGCs underwent growth cessation. Neuregulin-beta, a ligand for ErbB2 and ErbB3, was also expressed in genital ridges. In addition, a recombinant Neuregulin-beta enhanced the number of PGCs in 12.5-dpc embryos in culture. Taken together, these observations suggest that ErbB signaling controls the growth or survival of PGCs in genital ridges.     

TGF beta 1 inhibits proliferation and has a chemotropic effect on mouse primordial germ cells in culture.

Primordial germ cells are the stem cells that provide the functional gametes of adult animals. In many animal groups they are set aside at the earliest stages of development, and migrate from their sites of first appearance to the sites where the gonad will form, the genital ridges. During this migration they proliferate. In the mouse embryo their numbers increase from less than one hundred to approximately four thousand during the period of their migration. In a previous paper we showed that both the proliferation and the direction of migration of mouse PGCs in culture were influenced by soluble factors released from their target tissue, the genital ridges. Studies on other stem cell populations have shown that complex combinations of growth factors control their proliferation, migration and differentiation. In this paper, we show that TGF beta 1 inhibits proliferation of PGCs taken from 8.5 day old embryos and cultured on embryonic fibroblast feeder layers. We also show that the previously reported chemotropic effect of genital ridges in this culture system is mediated by TGF beta 1, or a closely related molecule, released from the genital ridges.     

Evidence for crucial role of hindgut expansion in directing proper migration of primordial germ cells in mouse early embryogenesis

During mouse gastrulation, primordial germ cells (PGCs) become clustered at the base of the allantois and move caudally into the hindgut endoderm before entering the genital ridges. The precise roles of endoderm tissues in PGC migration, however, remain unclear. By using Sox17 mutants with a specific endoderm deficiency, we provide direct evidence for the crucial role of hindgut expansion in directing proper PGC migration. In Sox17-null embryos, PGCs normally colonize in the allantois and then a small front-row population of PGCs moves properly into the most posterior gut endoderm. Defective hindgut expansion, however, causes the failure of further lateral PGC movement, resulting in the immobilization of PGCs in the hindgut entrance at the later stages. In contrast, the majority of the remaining PGCs moves into the visceral endoderm layer, but relocate outside of the embryonic gut domain. This leads to a scattering of PGCs in the extraembryonic yolk sac endoderm. This aberrant migration of Sox17-null PGCs can be rescued by the supply of wildtype hindgut cells in chimeric embryos. Therefore, these data indicate that hindgut morphogenic movement is crucial for directing PGC movement toward the embryonic gut side, but not for their relocation from the mesoderm into the endoderm.     

大鼠原生殖细胞培养和分化的研究

研究大鼠胚胎原生殖细胞（primordial germ cells,PGCs)的培养及分化,取受精后11-12.5天大鼠PGCs进行原代培养,光、电镜观察PGCs及其分化细胞的微细结构,碱性磷酸酶染色检测细胞的分化程度,结果显然显示大鼠PGCs大而圆,散在分布,或多个聚集成团,胞质中含有椭圆形的线粒体和丰富的核糖体,在鼠胚成纤维细胞饲养层存在的情况下,PGCs保持未分化状态,碱性磷酸酶反应呈强阳性,在缺乏饲养层的条件下PGCs很快分化,形态不规则,有伪足,碱性磷酸酶反应减弱,进一步分化可形成具有细长突起的神经元样细胞,胞质中含有细丝束的表皮细胞,可见节律性跳动的心肌细胞,具有分泌颗粒的分泌细胞及似血管,心脏形状的管腔结构等,由PGCs分化来的细胞碱性磷酸酶反应均呈阴性,结果表明大鼠PGCs能够分化形成三个胚层的衍生物,生殖嵴来源的PGCsp是一种具有发育全能性的胚胎多能干细胞,本研究同时证明鼠胚饲养层能抑制大鼠PGCs的分化。     

A new method for early in utero experiments in rat embryos: endoscopy

The merits of in vitro and in vivo techniques for experiments in rat embryos are discussed in this paper. Time limitation of culture, which is only feasible during 48 hours, up to day 13 post coitum (p.c.) is a major draw-back in the in vitro whole embryo culture. With the in utero operation technique used to date, no controlled experiments can be performed in rat embryos of 15 days p.c. and younger due to the high mortality of the embryos. Therefore a new technique has been developed, in which successful in utero operations can be performed as early as day 12 of gestation. Controlled micro-injection with the help of an endoscope can be given in any desired embryonic organ or structure. This paper describes this technique. Endoscopy in rat embryos of 12 days p.c. onwards has proven to be a new facility for in utero operations.     

Direct Evidence for the Presence of Germ Cell Determinant in Vegetal Pole Cytoplasm of Xenopus laevis and in a Subcellular Fraction of It

To test for the presence of germ cell determinant in Xenopus embryos, vegetal pole cytoplasm containing the "germ plasm", or a subcellular fraction of it, was microinjected into single somatic blastomeres isolated from 32-cell embryos. Injected or non-injected (control) blastomeres were cultured in ³H-thymidine until normal control embryos reached the neurula stage. The labeled explants were then implanted into unlabeled host neurulae, which were allowed to develop to the tadpole stage. Labeled PGCs of explant origin in the genital ridges of the experimental tadpoles were examined by autoradiography.
Isolated blastomeres were injected with vegetal pole cytoplasm of 32-cell embryos or with a 20,000 g pellet made from vegetal pole cytoplasm of 2-cell embryos. Labeled PGCs were found in 7.6% and 2.3% of the experimental tadpoles, respectively. No labeled PGCs were found in the control tadpoles, except for one tadpole in the first experiment. These results strongly suggest that the vegetal pole cytoplasm and its subcellular fractions act as germ cell determinant.     

Germ line chimera produced by transfer of cultured chick primordial germ cells.

Intrinsic primordial germ cells (PGCs) from stage 27 (5-day-old) chick embryonic germinal ridges were cultured in vitro for a further 5 days, and shown to proliferate on stroma cells derived from the germinal ridge. To determine whether these cultured PGCs could colonize and contribute to the germ-line, PGCs were isolated by gentle pipetting, labeled with PKH26 fluorescent dye and injected into the blood stream of stage 17 (2.5-day-old) chick embryos. The recipient embryos were incubated until they reached stage 28. Thin sections of these embryos were analysed by fluorescent confocal laser microscopy. These analyses showed that the labeled donor PGCs had migrated into the germinal ridges of the recipient embryos, and transplanted PGCs had undergone at least 3-7 divisions. These results suggest that PGCs that had passed far beyond the migration stage in vivo were still able to migrate, colonize and proliferate in recipient chick embryonic gonads.     

不同时期鸡胚原始生殖细胞分离的研究

采用Ficoll密度梯度离心,酶解离两种方法在鸡胚孵化的第14期、19期、28期,分离、培养鸡胚中的原始生殖细胞(PGCs)。探索PGCs分离、培养的适宜时期及方法,以期获得较多数量,较高活力的PGCs作介导生产转基因鸡。结果表明：1．提取、分离PGCs的最佳时期依次为19期、28期。2．两种分离方法均能分离到一定数量的PGCs细胞。但在19期和28期,酶解离法分离到的PGCs的相对数量较多,存活时间较长,是一种较适宜的分离方法。     

Immunohistochemical localisation of androgen receptor during sex-specific morphogenesis in the fetal mouse

The distribution of androgen receptors (ARs) in paraffin serial sections of day 17 and day 18 male and female mouse embryos was investigated. In the cranial section of the genital tract AR expression was restricted to Wolffian structures while Müllerian ducts and surrounding mesenchyme were AR negative. In the fusion zone with the urogenital sinus the epithelial components of the vaginal bud were clearly distinguished by differential AR expression, which was faint in the Wolffian ducts, totally missing in the Müllerian ducts, and intense in the sinus ridges with the most intense expression in the morphogenetically active mesenchyme, indicating a new mechanism of negative control of vagina formation via androgens. Expression of ARs outside the genital tract was observed: (1) in loose interstitial mesenchyme extending into the retroperitoneal space up to the coeliac artery, indicating androgen effects during ascent of the kidneys and descent of intraperitoneal organs, (2) in the trigone of the bladder indicating androgen involvement in the development of the vesico-ureteral junction, and (3) in loose mesenchyme between striated muscle fibres and around pelvic skeletal elements, indicating mediation of androgen effects on the musculoskeletal system via loose mesenchyme.     

Loss of heterochromatin protein 1 gamma reduces the number of primordial germ cells via impaired cell cycle progression in mice

Signals from extraembryonic tissues in mice determine which proximal epiblast cells become primordial germ cells (PGCs). After their specification, approximately 40 PGCs appear at the base of the allantoic bud and migrate to the genital ridges, where they expand to about 25?000 cells by Embryonic Day (E)13.5. The heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) family members HP1alpha, HP1beta, and HP1gamma (CBX5, CBX1, and CBX3, respectively) are thought to induce heterochromatin structure and to regulate gene expression by binding methylated histone H3 lysine 9. We found a dramatic loss of germ cells before meiosis in HP1gamma mutant (HP1gamma(-/-)) mice that we generated previously. The reduction in PGCs in HP1gamma(-/-) embryos was detectable from the early bud stage (E7.25), and the number of HP1gamma(-/-) PGCs was gradually reduced thereafter. Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation into PGCs was significantly reduced in E7.25 and E12.5 HP1gamma(-/-) embryos. Furthermore, a lower proportion of HP1gamma(-/-) PGCs than wild-type PGCs was in S phase, and a higher proportion, respectively, was in G1 phase at E12.5. Moreover, the proportion of p21 (Cip, official symbol CDKN1A)-positive HP1gamma(-/-) PGCs was increased, suggesting that the G1/S phase transition was inhibited. However, no differences were detected between fate determination, migration, apoptosis, or histone modification of PGCs of control embryos and those of HP1gamma(-/-) embryos. Therefore, the reduction in PGCs in HP1gamma(-/-) embryos could be caused by impaired cell cycle in PGCs. These results suggest that HP1gamma plays an important role in keeping enough germ cells by regulating the PGC cell cycle.     

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.