TY - JOUR
T1 - Differentiation and development of human female germ cells during prenatal gonadogenesis
T2 - an immunohistochemical study
AU - Stoop, H
AU - Honecker, F
AU - Cools, M
AU - de Krijger, R
AU - Bokemeyer, C
AU - Looijenga, L H J
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Diego Castrillon, Department of Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, USA, for providing the polyclonal VASA antibody; Axel Themmen, Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, for critically reading the manuscript; and F.v.d. Panne for technical assistance with the illustrations. This work was supported by the Dutch Cancer Society (H.S., L.H.J.L.), Deutsche Krebshilfe, Dr Mildred Scheel Stiftung (F.H.), and the European Society for Pediatric Endocrinology, ESPE (M.C.).
PY - 2005/6
Y1 - 2005/6
N2 - BACKGROUND: In the development of the human ovary, the second trimester includes the transition from oogonial replication to primordial follicle formation. The present study was carried out to assess differentiation and proliferation of germ cells in a series of female gonads from 19 fetuses from the second and third trimester, and two neonates.METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry, the following markers were studied: placental/germ-like cell alkaline phosphatases (PLAP), the marker of pluripotency OCT3/4, the proliferation marker Ki-67, beta-catenin and E-cadherin, the stem cell factor receptor c-KIT, and VASA, a protein specific for the germ cell lineage.RESULTS: PLAP and OCT3/4 were seen during oogenesis, but not in germ cells engaged in folliculogenesis. A similar pattern was observed for Ki-67. Loss of pluripotency occurs once oocytes engage in follicle formation, suggesting a role of cell-cell interactions in the process of germ cell maturation. VASA, c-KIT, beta-catenin and E-cadherin were found in germ cells at all developmental stages of oogenesis and folliculogenesis.CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemically, two groups of germ cells can be distinguished. Germ cells that are predominantly found in the cortical region of the ovary before weeks 22-24 of gestation, showing an immature phenotype, are mitotically active, and express OCT3/4, a marker of pluripotency. On the other hand, germ cells undergoing folliculogenesis have lost their pluripotent potential and no longer proliferate.
AB - BACKGROUND: In the development of the human ovary, the second trimester includes the transition from oogonial replication to primordial follicle formation. The present study was carried out to assess differentiation and proliferation of germ cells in a series of female gonads from 19 fetuses from the second and third trimester, and two neonates.METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry, the following markers were studied: placental/germ-like cell alkaline phosphatases (PLAP), the marker of pluripotency OCT3/4, the proliferation marker Ki-67, beta-catenin and E-cadherin, the stem cell factor receptor c-KIT, and VASA, a protein specific for the germ cell lineage.RESULTS: PLAP and OCT3/4 were seen during oogenesis, but not in germ cells engaged in folliculogenesis. A similar pattern was observed for Ki-67. Loss of pluripotency occurs once oocytes engage in follicle formation, suggesting a role of cell-cell interactions in the process of germ cell maturation. VASA, c-KIT, beta-catenin and E-cadherin were found in germ cells at all developmental stages of oogenesis and folliculogenesis.CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemically, two groups of germ cells can be distinguished. Germ cells that are predominantly found in the cortical region of the ovary before weeks 22-24 of gestation, showing an immature phenotype, are mitotically active, and express OCT3/4, a marker of pluripotency. On the other hand, germ cells undergoing folliculogenesis have lost their pluripotent potential and no longer proliferate.
KW - Alkaline Phosphatase/metabolism
KW - Biomarkers/metabolism
KW - Cadherins/metabolism
KW - Cell Differentiation/physiology
KW - Cytoskeletal Proteins/metabolism
KW - DEAD-box RNA Helicases
KW - DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism
KW - Female
KW - Humans
KW - Immunohistochemistry
KW - Ki-67 Antigen/metabolism
KW - Octamer Transcription Factor-3
KW - Organic Cation Transport Proteins/metabolism
KW - Ovary/cytology
KW - Ovum/cytology
KW - Pregnancy
KW - Pregnancy Trimester, Second
KW - Pregnancy Trimester, Third
KW - Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit/metabolism
KW - RNA Helicases/metabolism
KW - Trans-Activators/metabolism
KW - Transcription Factors/metabolism
KW - beta Catenin
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=20144379674&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/humrep/deh800
DO - 10.1093/humrep/deh800
M3 - Article
C2 - 15734757
SN - 0268-1161
VL - 20
SP - 1466
EP - 1476
JO - Human reproduction (Oxford, England)
JF - Human reproduction (Oxford, England)
IS - 6
ER -