Identification, Isolation, and In Vitro Culture Trials of Ovarian Germ Stem Cells from Different Teleost Fish Species.

ABSTRACT: Germ cell xenotransplantation is a promising tool for enhancing aquaculture production and supporting the conservation of declining fish species. A major limitation is the reliable identification of germ stem cells, which remains challenging due to the scarcity of validated molecular markers. This study assessed the suitability of different immunohistochemical approaches for identifying ovarian germ stem cells (OGSCs) in three Mediterranean species of commercial interest: European hake (Merluccius merluccius), meagre (Argyrosomus regius), and flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus). Among the antibodies tested (anti-OCT4, anti-VASA, anti-Sox2), only anti-VASA and anti-Sox2 labeled cells with morphological features consistent with OGSCs, although staining intensity, speci

SUBMITTER: Varvara C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12737627 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature