A tug-of-war between germ cell motility and intercellular bridges controls germline cyst formation in mice.

ABSTRACT: Gametes in many species develop in cysts-clusters of germ cells formed by incomplete cytokinesis-that remain connected through intercellular bridges (ICBs). These connections enable sharing of cytoplasmic components between germ cells and, in the female germ line, enrich select cells in the cyst to become the oocyte(s). In mice, germline cysts of variable sizes are generated during embryonic development, thought to result from cyst fractures. Studies of fixed samples failed to capture fracture events, and thus, the mechanism remained elusive. Here, we use high-resolution live imaging of germ cells within their native tissue environment to visualize germline cyst dynamics. With this novel approach, we reveal a striking motile phenotype of gonad-resident germ cells and show that this randoml

SUBMITTER: Levy EW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11652221 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature