Expression of pluripotent stem cell markers in the human fetal ovary

BACKGROUND: Human primordial germ cells (PGCs) can give rise to pluripotentstem cells such as embryonal carcinoma cells (ECCs) and embryonicgerm cells (EGCs). METHODS: In order to determine whether PGCs express markers associatedwith pluripotency in EGCs and ECCs, the following study crossexamines the expression patterns of multiple pluripotent markersin the human fetal ovary, 5.5–15 weeks post-fertilizaton(pF) and relates this expression with the ability to derivepluripotent EGCs in vitro. RESULTS: Specific subpopulations were identified which included OCT4⁺/Nanog⁺/cKIT⁺/VASA⁺PGCs and oogonia. Interestingly, these cells also expressedSSEA1 and alkaline phosphatase (AP) and SSEA4 expression occurredthroughout the entire gonad. Isolation of SSEA1⁺ cells fromthe gonad resulted in AP⁺ EGC colony formation. The number ofOCT4⁺ or Nanog⁺ expressing cells peaked by week 8 and then diminishedafter week 9 pF, as oogonia enter meiosis. In addition, theefficiency of EGC derivation was associated with the numberof OCT4⁺ cells. TRA-1-60 and TRA-1-81 were only detected inthe lining of the mesonephric ducts and occasionally in thegonad. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that PGCs, a unipotent cell, expressmost, but not all, of the markers associated with pluripotentcells in the human fetal ovary.     

Brief report: benchmarking human pluripotent stem cell markers during differentiation into the three germ layers unveils a striking heterogeneity: all markers are not equal

Pluripotent stem cells (PSC) are functionally characterized by their capacity to differentiate into all the cell types from the three germ layers. A wide range of markers, the expression of which is associated with pluripotency, has been used as surrogate evidence of PSC pluripotency, but their respective relevance is poorly documented. Here, we compared by polychromatic flow cytometry the kinetics of loss of expression of eight widely used pluripotency markers (SSEA3, SSEA4, TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81, CD24, OCT4, NANOG, and alkaline phosphatase [AP]) at days 0, 5, 7, and 9 after induction of PSC differentiation into cells representative of the three germ layers. Strikingly, each marker showed a different and specific kinetics of disappearance that was similar in all the PSC lines used and for all the induced differentiation pathways. OCT4, SSEA3, and TRA-1-60 were repeatedly the first markers to be downregulated, and their expression was completely lost at day 9. By contrast, AP activity, CD24, and NANOG proteins were still detectable at day 9. In addition, we show that differentiation markers are coexpressed with pluripotency markers before the latter begin to disappear. These results suggest that OCT4, SSEA3, and TRA-1-60 might be better to trace in vitro the emergence of pluripotent cells during reprogramming.     

Identification of developmental pluripotency associated 5 expression in human pluripotent stem cells

Pluripotent embryonic germ cells (EGCs) can be derived from the culture of primordial germ cells (PGCs). However, there are no reports of gonocytes, following the stage of PGC development, becoming stem cell lines. To analyze the gene expression differences between PGCs and gonocytes, we performed cDNA subtractive hybridization with mouse gonads containing either of the two cell populations. We confirmed that developmental pluripotency associated 5 (Dppa5), originally found in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and mouse embryonic carcinoma cells (ECCs), was strongly expressed in mouse PGCs and the expression was rapidly downregulated during germ cell development. A human sequence homologous to Dppa5 was identified by bioinformatics approaches. Interestingly, human Dppa5 was expressed only in human PGCs, human EGCs, and human ESCs and was not detected in human ECCs. Its expression was downregulated during induced differentiation of human ESCs. These findings confirmed that Dppa5 is specifically and differentially expressed in human cells that have pluripotency. The results strongly suggest that Dppa5 may have an important role in stemness in human ESCs and EGCs and also can be used as a marker of pluripotent stem cells. Human pluripotent stem cells may have their own ways to be pluripotent, as opposed to the much uniform mouse stem cells.     

Alkaline phosphatase-positive colony formation is a sensitive, specific, and quantitative indicator of undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) can be maintained in vitro as immortal pluripotent cells but remain responsive to many differentiation-inducing signals. Investigation of the initial critical events involved in differentiation induction would be greatly facilitated if a specific, robust, and quantitative assay for pluripotent hESCs with self-renewal potential were available. Here we describe the results of a series of experiments to determine whether the formation of adherent alkaline phosphatase-positive (AP(+)) colonies under conditions optimized for propagating undifferentiated hESCs would meet this need. The findings can be summarized as follows. (a) Most colonies obtained under these conditions consist of >or=30 AP(+) cells that coexpress OCT4, NANOG, SSEA3, SSEA4, TRA-1-60, and TRA-1-81. (b) Most such colonies are derived from SSEA3(+) cells. (c) Primary colonies contain cells that produce secondary colonies of the same composition, including cells that initiate multilineage differentiation in embryoid bodies (EBs). (d) Colony formation is independent of plating density or the colony-forming cell (CFC) content of the test population over a wide range of cell concentrations. (e) CFC frequencies decrease when differentiation is induced by exposure either to retinoic acid or to conditions that stimulate EB formation. Interestingly, this loss of AP(+) clonogenic potential also occurs more rapidly than the loss of SSEA3 or OCT4 expression. The CFC assay thus provides a simple, reliable, broadly applicable, and highly specific functional assay for quantifying undifferentiated hESCs with self-renewal potential. Its use under standardized assay conditions should enhance future elucidation of the mechanisms that regulate hESC propagation and their early differentiation.     

Analysis of Esg1 expression in pluripotent cells and the germline reveals similarities with Oct4 and Sox2 and differences between human pluripotent cell lines

Establishment of pluripotent epiblast cells is a critical event during early mammalian development because all somatic lineages and the primordial germ cells (PGCs) are derived from them. The epiblast and PGCs are in turn the precursors of pluripotent embryonic stem cells and embryonic germ cells, respectively. Although PGCs are specialized cells, they express several key pluripotency-related genes, such as Oct4 and Sox2. We have analyzed Esg1 expression in mouse and human cells and shown that in the mouse the gene is specifically expressed in preimplantation embryos, stem cells, and the germline. Moreover, Esg1 coexpresses with Oct4 and Sox2, confirming its identity as a marker of the pluripotent cycle. Esg1 is also expressed with Oct4 and Sox2 by human embryonic stem cells and in germ cell carcinoma tissue but not by all human embryonal carcinoma cell lines. These data suggest that together with Oct4 and Sox2, Esg1 plays a conserved role in the pluripotent pathway of mouse and human stem and germ cells.     

人胚胎干细胞表达生殖细胞分化相关基因的研究

目的 探讨人胚胎干细胞(hES)系H1生殖细胞分化相关基因的表达.方法 免疫荧光、碱性磷酸酶检测和核型分析等方法联合鉴定H1的基本生物学特性,RT-PCR方法检测未分化H1的生殖细胞分化相关基因的基本表达模式,分别以人正常睾丸组织和人胚胎成纤维细胞株HFF-1作为阳性和阴性对照组织.结果 H1保持正常核型并维持未分化状态.未分化H1表达减数分裂前生殖细胞标志基因STELLAR、DAZL、FRAGILIS、PUM1、PUM2和GDF3;不表达原始生殖细胞(PGCs)标志基因BLIMP-1、减数分裂特异标志基因SCP1、减数分裂启动标志基因STRA8以及生殖细胞分化后期标志基因VASA.结论 未分化Hl细胞表达生殖细胞减数分裂前标志基因,但不表达分化后期基因,BLIMP-1可能成为区分未分化hES细胞与PGCs的特异性标志基因.     

Differential expression of the embryo/cancer gene ECSA(DPPA2), the cancer/testis gene BORIS and the pluripotency structural gene OCT4, in human preimplantation development

In this paper, we examine the expression profiles of two new putative pluripotent stem cell genes, the embryo/cancer sequence A gene (ECSA) and the cancer/testis gene Brother Of the Regulator of Imprinted Sites (BORIS), in human oocytes, preimplantation embryos, primordial germ cells (PGCs) and embryo stem (ES) cells. Their expression profiles are compared with that of the well-known pluripotency gene, OCT4, using a primer design that avoids amplification of the multiple OCT4 pseudogenes. As expected, OCT4 is high in human oocytes, down-regulated in early cleavage stages and then expressed de novo in human blastocysts and PGCs. BORIS and ECSA show distinct profiles of expression in that BORIS is predominantly expressed in the early stages of preimplantation development, in oocytes and 4-cell embryos, whereas ECSA is predominantly expressed in the later stages, blastocysts and PGCs. BORIS is not detected in blastocysts, PGCs or other fetal and adult somatic tissue tested. Thus, BORIS and ECSA may be involved in two different aspects of reprogramming in development, viz., in late gametogenesis, and at the time of formation of the ES cells (inner cell mass (ICM) and PGC), respectively. However, in human ES cells, where a deprogrammed stem cell state is stably established in culture, an immunofluoresence study shows that all three genes are co-expressed at the protein level. Thus, following their derivation from ICM cells, ES cells may undergo further transformation in culture to express a number of embryo and germ line stem cell functions, which, in normal development, show different temporal and spatial specificity of expression.     

Derivation of human embryonic stem cells from developing and arrested embryos

Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) hold huge promise in modern regenerative medicine, drug discovery, and as a model for studying early human development. However, usage of embryos and derivation of hESC for research and potential medical application has resulted in polarized ethical debates since the process involves destruction of viable developing human embryos. Here we describe that not only developing embryos (morulae and blastocysts) of both good and poor quality but also arrested embryos could be used for the derivation of hESC. Analysis of arrested embryos demonstrated that these embryos express pluripotency marker genes such OCT4, NANOG, and REX1. Derived hESC lines also expressed specific pluripotency markers (TRA-1-60, TRA-1-81, SSEA4, alkaline phosphatase, OCT4, NANOG, TERT, and REX1) and differentiated under in vitro and in vivo conditions into derivates of all three germ layers. All of the new lines, including lines derived from late arrested embryos, have normal karyotypes. These results demonstrate that arrested embryos are additional valuable resources to surplus and donated developing embryos and should be used to study early human development or derive pluripotent hESC.     

CD133 expression by neural progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells and its use for their prospective isolation

The ability to generate purified neural progenitors is critical to the development of embryonic stem cell-based therapies to alleviate human neurological disorders. While many cell culture protocols for directed differentiation of human embryonic stem (hES) cells into neural cells have been described, most yield mixed populations, some containing cells of different embryonic germ layer lineages, or even undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. In this study, we describe a method for single-cell dissociation, isolation by flow cytometry, and subsequent culture of neural progenitors from hES cells. As reported earlier, hES cells treated with the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) antagonist noggin gave rise to neurospheres at a relatively high frequency. However, these noggin-treated embryonic stem cell cultures were heterogeneous, with cells expressing embryonic stem markers still detectable even following 14 days of differentiation. In order to isolate pure human neural progenitors, we fractionated noggin-treated ES cells on the basis of their expression of the putative neural stem cell marker, CD133, and the GCTM-2, and SSEA-1 antigens, which mark pluripotent stem cells and differentiated cells respectively from hES cell culture. CD133(+) cells formed larger spheres compared to CD133(-) cells. CD133(+)SSEA1(+) cells and CD133(+)SSEA-1(-) cells expressed similar levels of neural genes and formed neurospheres at similar frequencies. By contrast, CD133(+)GCTM-2(+) cells expressed high levels of OCT4 but not neural lineage genes and failed to form neurospheres. CD133(+)GCTM-2(-) cells formed neurospheres at the relative highest frequency. Thus, negative selection with GCTM-2 may be useful for the purification of specific cell types differentiated from hES cells.     

Stably transfected human embryonic stem cell clones express OCT4-specific green fluorescent protein and maintain self-renewal and pluripotency

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are derived from the inner cell mass of preimplantation embryos; they can be cultured indefinitely and differentiated into many cell types in vitro. These cells therefore have the ability to provide insights into human disease and provide a potential unlimited supply of cells for cell-based therapy. Little is known about the factors that are important for maintaining undifferentiated hESCs in vitro, however. As a tool to investigate these factors, transfected hES clonal cell lines were generated; these lines are able to express the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter gene under control of the OCT4 promoter. OCT4 is an important marker of the undifferentiated state and a central regulator of pluripotency in ES cells. These OCT4-EGFP clonal cell lines exhibit features similar to parental hESCs, are pluripotent, and are able to produce all three embryonic germ layer cells. Expression of OCT4-EGFP is colocalized with endogenous OCT4, as well as the hESC surface antigens SSEA4 and Tra-1-60. In addition, the expression is retained in culture for an extensive period of time. Differentiation of these cells toward the neural lineage and targeted knockdown of endogenous OCT4 expression by RNA interference downregulated the EGFP expression in these cell lines, and this correlates closely with the reduction of endogenous OCT4 expression. Therefore, these cell lines provide an easy and noninvasive method to monitor expression of OCT4 in hESCs, and they will be invaluable for studying not only OCT4 function in hESC self-renewal and differentiation but also the factors required for maintenance of undifferentiated hESCs in culture.     

OCT4 spliced variants are differentially expressed in human pluripotent and nonpluripotent cells

OCT4 is a master regulator of self-renewal in embryonic stem cells and can potentially encode two spliced variants, designated OCT4A and OCT4B. We have examined the expression pattern of these OCT4 isoforms in various human pluripotent and nonpluripotent cells. Our data revealed that whereas OCT4A expression is restricted to embryonic stem (ES) and embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells, OCT4B can be detected in various nonpluripotent cell types. Furthermore, we detected a novel OCT4 spliced variant, designated OCT4B1, that is expressed primarily in human ES and EC cells and is downregulated following their differentiation. We also found a significantly higher level of OCT4B1 expression in stage-specific embryonic antigen-3 (SSEA3)(+) compared with SSEA3(-) subpopulations of cultured ES cells. Taken together, our data demonstrated a distinctive expression pattern for OCT4 spliced variants in different cell types and highlight the necessity of defining the type of OCT4 when addressing the expression of this gene in different human cells.     

小鼠胚胎生殖细胞的建立及其印记状态

目的 成功建立小鼠胚胎生殖细胞（EGCs）系,并初步分析小鼠胚胎生殖细胞的印记状态。方法 建立交配后12.5d（12.5dpc）原始生
殖细胞 (PGCs）来源的小鼠EGCs,通过碱性磷酸酶（AKP）染色、免疫荧光细胞化学、体内分化及体外分化等方法检测EGCs的多能性,并以小鼠
胚胎干细胞（ESCs）为对照,应用Real-time PCR检测EGCs中与发育相关的Ins2、Lgf2、H19、Lgf2r等11个父源与母源印记基因的表达情况。结果
成功建立小鼠EG细胞系,EGCs克隆AKP染色显示有高水平的AKP活性,免疫荧光细胞化学方法显示克隆表达小鼠ESCs多能性标记物Oct4及细胞表面
标记SSEA-1。核型分析检测显示,小鼠EGCs为正常的40条染色体,体内可分化出3个胚层来源的组织,说明小鼠EGCs具有多能性;Real-time PCR
结果显示EGCs的印记基因表达量显著高于ESCs。结论 12.5dpc PGC来源的EGCs的印记基因处于擦除状态。     

Gene expression in the axolotl germ line: Axdazl, Axvh, Axoct-4, and Axkit.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) in embryos of mammals and urodele amphibians are formed by induction in the absence of germ plasm. We describe expression of four germ cell-related genes through the germ cell cycle of the axolotl. The orthologs of vasa and daz-like are up-regulated in PGCs of tail bud embryos before the gonad forms and are expressed throughout the female germ cell cycle. Mammalian Oct-4 is a marker of pluripotency in embryonic cells. Axolotl Oct-4 has higher homology to Oct-4 than that found in other vertebrates. It is expressed in the equivalent of the mouse epiblast, in the posterior mesoderm of late gastrulae that gives rise to PGCs, and in diplotene growing oocytes, but not in presumptive PGCs after gastrulation. Finally, a c-kit homolog is expressed in gonadal oogonia and growing oocytes as in mice but is also not found in PGCs. The expression pattern in urodele gonadal germ cells is similar to that of other vertebrates, although the pattern in pregonadal PGCs is distinctly different from that of mice. We conclude that PGCs are restricted to the germ line later in urodeles than in mice or lack migration and proliferation programs.     

人胚胎生殖细胞在人胚胎成纤维细胞饲养层上的生长

目的探讨以人胚胎成纤维细胞为饲养层分离、培养人胚胎生殖细胞的方法和条件。方法分离、培养3～4月胚胎成纤维细胞,取3～15代细胞经丝裂酶素处理后铺板备用;分离6．11周胚胎原始生殖细胞,将其置于人胚胎成纤维细胞饲养层上,在含生长因子、分化抑制因子的培养体系中培养胚胎生殖细胞;用免疫细胞化学方法检测胚胎生殖细胞表面标志SSEA-1和SSEA-4;钙-钴法检测碱性磷酸酶活性;RT-PCR检测转录因子Oct-4的表达。结果人胚胎成纤维细胞可连续传代25代以上(6月),3～15代细胞可以用作饲养层细胞。分离的胚胎生殖细胞在饲养层上可增殖形成典型胚胎生殖细胞集落,并能连续在体外培养超过8代。集落未分化标志检测显示SSEA—1、SSEA-4呈阳性,碱性磷酸酶活性呈强阳性,Oct-4表达阳性。结论用人胚胎成纤维细胞作为饲养层能获得可连续增殖的胚胎生殖细胞。