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Monolayer platform to generate and purify primordial germ-like cells in vitro provides insights into human germline specification.

ABSTRACT: Generating primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) advances studies of human reproduction and development of infertility treatments, but often entails complex 3D aggregates. Here we develop a simplified, monolayer method to differentiate hPSCs into PGCs within 3.5 days. We use our simplified differentiation platform and single-cell RNA-sequencing to achieve further insights into PGCLC specification. Transient WNT activation for 12 h followed by WNT inhibition specified PGCLCs; by contrast, sustained WNT induced primitive streak. Thus, somatic cells (primitive streak) and PGCLCs are related-yet distinct-lineages segregated by temporally-dynamic signaling. Pluripotency factors including NANOG are continuously expressed during the transition from pluripotency to posterior epiblast to PGCs, thus bridging pluripotent and germline states. Finally, hPSC-derived PGCLCs can be easily purified by virtue of their CXCR4⁺PDGFRA^-GARP^- surface-marker profile and single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals that they harbor transcriptional similarities with fetal PGCs.

SUBMITTER: Vijayakumar S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10502105 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Monolayer platform to generate and purify primordial germ-like cells in vitro provides insights into human germline specification.

Vijayakumar Sivakamasundari S Sala Roberta R Kang Gugene G Chen Angela A Pablo Michelle Ann MA Adebayo Abidemi Ismail AI Cipriano Andrea A Fowler Jonas L JL Gomes Danielle L DL Ang Lay Teng LT Loh Kyle M KM Sebastiano Vittorio V

Nature communications 20230914 1

Generating primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) advances studies of human reproduction and development of infertility treatments, but often entails complex 3D aggregates. Here we develop a simplified, monolayer method to differentiate hPSCs into PGCs within 3.5 days. We use our simplified differentiation platform and single-cell RNA-sequencing to achieve further insights into PGCLC specification. Transient WNT activation for 12 h followed by WNT inhi ...[more]

PMID: 37709760

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Project description:Generating primordial germ cells (PGCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) advances studies of human reproduction and development of infertility treatments, but currently entails complex 3D aggregates. Here we develop a simplified, monolayer method to differentiate hPSCs into PGCs within 3.5 days, with higher efficiencies and improved consistency across multiple hPSC lines. We used our simplified differentiation platform, bulk RNA-seq and single-cell RNA-sequencing to uncover new insights into PGC specification. Transient WNT activation for 12 hours followed by WNT inhibition specified PGCs; by contrast, sustained WNT instead induced primitive streak. Thus, somatic (primitive streak) and PGCs are related—yet distinct—lineages segregated by temporally-dynamic signaling. Pluripotency factors are continuously expressed during the transition from pluripotency to posterior epiblast to PGCs, thus bridging pluripotent and germline states. Finally, hPSC-derived PGCs can be easily purified by virtue of their CXCR4+PDGFRA-GARP- surface-marker profile and single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals that they harbor strong transcriptional similarities with fetal PGCs. We report single-cell RNA-sequencing data of in vitro differentiated hPSCs (H9) cells into human Primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs), profiled at different time-points of differentiation - Day 0 (H9), D0.5, D3.5 (sorted) and D3.5 unsorted population and a negative control of hPSCs differentiated into definitive endoderm (DE) (using the protocol described in (Loh et al., 2014, Cell Stem Cell 14, 237-252)). The data comprises of 5 single-cell RNA-sequencing libraries (H9, D0.5, D3.5S, D3.5U and DE) generated using 10xChromium Single cell RNA-expression platform and 10xGenomics Chromium version 2 chemistry with a targeted capture of ~6000 cells each. Single cell libraries were sequenced on Illumina HiSeq4000 platform as paired-end 150bp reads. Bulk RNA seq libraries were sequnced as paired-end reads.

Project description:BackgroundPrimordial germ cells (PGCs) give rise to gametes that are responsible for the development of a new organism in the next generation. Two modes of germ line specification have been described: the inheritance of asymmetrically-localized maternally provided cytoplasmic determinants and the induction of the PGC fate by other cell types. PGCs specification in zebrafish appears to depend on inheritance of germ plasm in which several RNA molecules such as vasa and nanos reside. Whether the specification mode of PGCs found in zebrafish is general for other fish species was brought into question upon analysis of olvas expression--the vasa homologue in another teleost, medaka (Oryzias latipes). Here, in contrast to the findings in zebrafish, the PGCs are found in a predictable position relative to a somatic structure, the embryonic shield. This finding, coupled with the fact that vasa mRNA, which is localized to the germ plasm of zebrafish but does not label a similar structure in medaka opened the possibility of fundamentally different mechanisms governing PGC specification in these two fish species.ResultsIn this study we addressed the question concerning the mode of PGC specification in medaka using embryological experiments, analysis of RNA stability in the PGCs and electron microscopy observations. Dramatic alterations in the somatic environment, i.e. induction of a secondary axis or mesoderm formation alteration, did not affect the PGC number. Furthermore, the PGCs of medaka are capable of protecting specific RNA molecules from degradation and could therefore exhibit a specific mRNA expression pattern controlled by posttrancriptional mechanisms. Subsequent analysis of 4-cell stage medaka embryos using electron microscopy revealed germ plasm-like structures located at a region corresponding to that of zebrafish germ plasm.ConclusionTaken together, these results are consistent with the idea that in medaka the inheritance of maternally provided asymmetrically-localized cytoplasmic determinants directs cells to assume the germ line fate similar to zebrafish PGCs.

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Monolayer platform to generate and purify primordial germ-like cells in vitro provides insights into human germline specification.

Publications

Monolayer platform to generate and purify primordial germ-like cells in vitro provides insights into human germline specification.

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