In vitro reconstitution of male germ cell development from pluripotent stem cells

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H06802
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: General medical chemistry
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Ishikura Yukiko 京都大学, 医学研究科, 特定研究員 (00807943)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-08-25 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 精原幹細胞 / 多能性幹細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The mammalian germline lineage begins at the fertilized egg and differentiates into gametes via PGCs capable of differentiating male and female.In the process, important controls such as epigenome reprogramming, sexual differentiation and meiosis are performed.
In recent years, an extracorporeal culture system has been reported in which oocyte-like cells and spermatogonia stem cell-like cells are induced from mouse pluripotent stem cells via PGC-like cells (PGC-like cells; PGCLCs).On the other hand, cells induced by these in vitro culture systems exhibited various abnormalities caused by epigenome abnormalities and the like.
In this study, we will develop a methodology to induce GSCLCs with high spermatogenic efficiency from pluripotent stem cells by improving the reconstructed testis method to one more compliant with the conditions of the living body.

Free Research Field

分子生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本実験系が確立すれば、雄性生殖細胞分化機構、雄性エピゲノム獲得・制御機構、精原幹細胞の分化機構などの、雄性生殖細胞発生過程に附随する、生物学的に重要な様々な事象が、多能性幹細胞を用いたゲノム編集技術と組み合わせ、全て試験管内で解析可能となると期待される。また、本実験系は、医学生物学的に重要な、サルやヒト、もしくは他の希少哺乳類の多能性幹細胞を起点とした、雄性生殖細胞系譜の誘導研究とその応用の基盤となると期待される。