CRISPR/Cas9-mediated activation of NR5A1 steers female human embryonic stem cell-derived bipotential gonadal-like cells towards a steroidogenic cell fate.

ABSTRACT: The nuclear receptor subfamily 5 group A member 1 (NR5A1), encoding steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1), has been identified as a critical factor in gonadal development in animal studies. A previous study of ours suggested that upregulation of NR5A1 during early gonadal differentiation in male (46,XY) human pluripotent stem cells steers the cells into a more mature gonadal cell type. However, the detailed role of NR5A1 in female gonadal differentiation has yet to be determined. In this study, by combining the processes of gonadal differentiation and conditional gene activation, we show that NR5A1 induction predominantly upregulates the female gonadal marker inhibin subunit α (INHA) and steroidogenic markers steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (STAR), cytochrome P450 family 11 subfamily A memb

SUBMITTER: Danti L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10510196 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature