Production of offspring from a germline stem cell line derived from neonatal ovaries

• Published in: Nature cell biology Vol. 11; no. 5; pp. 631 - 636
• Main Authors: Sun, Kejing, Luo, Huacheng, Xiang, Jie, Yang, Zhaojuan, Zhang, Yong, Yu, Qingsheng, Hou, Ruoyu, Zhou, Li, Zou, Kang, Yuan, Zhe, Shi, Lingjun, Wu, Ji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01-05-2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Alkaline Phosphatase - metabolism; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Biologists; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Bone marrow; Cancer Research; Cell Biology; Cell Line - cytology; Cell Line - metabolism; Cell Line - transplantation; Cell Proliferation; Cell Separation - methods; DEAD-box RNA Helicases - metabolism; Developmental Biology; Female; Females; Fertility - genetics; Gene Expression - genetics; Genetic aspects; Genomic Imprinting - genetics; Germ Cells - cytology; Germ Cells - metabolism; Germ Cells - transplantation; Green Fluorescent Proteins - genetics; Green Fluorescent Proteins - metabolism; Karyotypes; Karyotyping; letter; Life Sciences; Mammals; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Transgenic; Morphology; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 - genetics; Octamer Transcription Factor-3 - metabolism; Offspring; Oocytes; Oocytes - cytology; Oocytes - metabolism; Ovaries; Ovary - cytology; Physiological aspects; Pregnancy; Proteins; RNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; RNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Stem Cell Transplantation - methods; Stem Cells; Stem Cells - cytology; Stem Cells - metabolism; Telomerase; Telomerase - metabolism; China
• ISSN: 1465-7392; 1476-4679
• DOI: 10.1038/ncb1869

The idea that females of most mammalian species have lost the capacity for oocyte production at birth has been challenged recently by the finding that juvenile and adult mouse ovaries possess mitotically active germ cells. However, the existence of female germline stem cells (FGSCs) in postnatal mammalian ovaries still remains a controversial issue among reproductive biologists and stem cell researchers. We have now established a neonatal mouse FGSC line, with normal karyotype and high telomerase activity, by immunomagnetic isolation and culture for more than 15 months. FGSCs from adult mice were isolated and cultured for more than 6 months. These FGSCs were infected with GFP virus and transplanted into ovaries of infertile mice. Transplanted cells underwent oogenesis and the mice produced offspring that had the GFP transgene. These findings contribute to basic research into oogenesis and stem cell self-renewal and open up new possibilities for use of FGSCs in biotechnology and medicine.