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Journal of Molecular Cell Biology Advance Access published online on September 25, 2009
Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, doi:10.1093/jmcb/mjp026
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© The Author (2009). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Molecular cell Biology, IBCB, SIBS, CAS. All rights reserved

Dazl Promotes Germ Cell Differentiation from Embryonic Stem Cells

Zhuo Yu1, Ping Ji1, Jinping Cao1, Shu Zhu1, Yao Li2, Lin Zheng3, Xuejin Chen2 and Lixin Feng1,*

1 Laboratory for Germ Cell Research, Institute of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
2 Department of Laboratory Animal Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
3 Department of Pathology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China

* Correspondence to: Tel/Fax: +86 21 64667347; E-mail: fenglx{at}shsmu.edu.cn


  Abstract

It has been demonstrated that through the formation of embryoid bodies (EBs) germ cells can be derived from embryonic stem (ES) cells. Here, we describe a transgene expression approach to derive germ cells directly from ES cells in vitro without EB formation. Through the ectopic expression of Deleted in Azoospermia-Like (Dazl), a germ cell-specific RNA-binding protein, both motile tailed-sperm and oocytes were induced from mouse ES (mES) cells in culture. Furthermore, transient overexpression of Dazl led to suppression of Nanog but induced germ cell nuclear antigen in mES cells. Dazl knockdown resulted in reduction in the expression of germ cell markers including Stella, MVH and Prdm1. Our study indicates that Dazl is a master gene controlling germ cell differentiation and that ectopic expression of Dazl promotes the dynamic differentiation of mouse ES cells into gametes in vitro.

Keywords: embryonic stem cells, Dazl, sperm, oocyte

Received June 29, 2009; Revised July 28, 2009; Accepted August 4, 2009


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