Germline stem cell isolation, lineage tracing, and aging in a protochordate.

ABSTRACT: Germline stem cells (GSCs), the source of gametes, are the only stem cells capable of passing genes to future generations and are therefore considered units of natural selection. Yet, the factors that influence GSC fitness, and thus govern GSC competition, which exist in both protochordates and mammals, remain poorly understood. We studied how aging affects GSC fitness in the protochordate Botryllus schlosseri , an evolutionary crosspoint between invertebrates and vertebrates. GSCs were isolated and distinguished from developing and mature gametes using flow cytometry and scRNA-Seq, facilitated by a new PacBio genome assembly. Moreover, their function was validated through a novel lineage tracing approach that combines membrane-labeled GSC transplantation with scRNA-Seq. Leveraging

SUBMITTER: Levy T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12424747 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature