English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Background  Retinoic acid (RA) signaling has been identified as a key driver in male and female gamete development. The presence of RA is a critical step in the initiation of meiosis and is required for the production of competent oocytes from primordial germ cells. Meiosis has been identified as a difficult biological process to recapitulate in vitro ,  when differentiating stem cells to germ cells. We have previously shown that primordial germ cell-like cells, and more advanced oocyte-like cells (OLCs), can be formed by differentiating mouse skin-derived stem cells. However, the OLCs remain unable to function due to what appears to be failure of meiotic initiation. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of RA treatment, during stem cell differentiation to germ cells, particularly on the initiation of meiosis.    Results  Using qPCR we found significant increases in the meiosis markers  Stra8  and  Sycp3  and a significant reduction in the meiosis inhibitor Nanos2, in the differentiating populations. Furthermore, OLCs from the RA treated group, expressed significantly more of the meiosis regulatory gene  Marf1  and the oocyte marker  Oct4 . At the protein level RA treatment was found to increase the expression of the gap junction protein CX43 and the pluripotency marker OCT4. Moreover, the expression of SYCP3 was significantly upregulated and the localization pattern better matched that of control fetal ovarian cells. RA treatment also improved the structural integrity of the OLCs produced by initiating the expression of all three zona pellucida transcripts ( Zp1–3 ) and improving ZP3 expression levels and localization. Finally, the addition of RA during differentiation led to an almost two-fold increase in the number of OLCs recovered and increased their in vitro growth.    Conclusion  RA is a key driver in the formation of functioning gametes and its addition during stem cell to germ cell differentiation improves OLCs entry into meiosis.

Retinoic acid enhances germ cell differentiation of mouse skin-derived stem cells