biostudies-literatureBertho SDeutsche ForschungsgemeinschaftNational Institutes of HealthNIGMS NIH HHSdev187773https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8077517biostudies-literatureUnknown148(7)Fertility and gamete reserves are maintained by asymmetric divisions of the germline stem cells to produce new stem cells or daughters that differentiate as gametes. Before entering meiosis, differentiating germ cells (GCs) of sexual animals typically undergo cystogenesis. This evolutionarily conserved process involves synchronous and incomplete mitotic divisions of a GC daughter (cystoblast) to generate sister cells connected by intercellular bridges that facilitate the exchange of materials to support rapid expansion of the gamete progenitor population. Here, we investigated cystogenesis in zebrafish and found that early GCs are connected by ring canals, and show that Deleted in azoospermia-like (Dazl), a conserved vertebrate RNA-binding protein (Rbp), is a regulator of this process. AnaDevelopment (Cambridge, England)Zebrafish dazl regulates cystogenesis and germline stem cell specification during the primordial germ cell to germline stem cell transition.PMC8077517R01-GM089979R01 GM089979Bertho SRaz EBandemer JMarlow FLClapp MBanisch TUfalseZebrafish dazl regulates cystogenesis and germline stem cell specification during the primordial germ cell to germline stem cell transition.Fertility and gamete reserves are maintained by asymmetric divisions of the germline stem cells to produce new stem cells or daughters that differentiate as gametes. Before entering meiosis, differentiating germ cells (GCs) of sexual animals typically undergo cystogenesis. This evolutionarily conserved process involves synchronous and incomplete mitotic divisions of a GC daughter (cystoblast) to generate sister cells connected by intercellular bridges that facilitate the exchange of materials to support rapid expansion of the gamete progenitor population. Here, we investigated cystogenesis in zebrafish and found that early GCs are connected by ring canals, and show that Deleted in azoospermia-like (Dazl), a conserved vertebrate RNA-binding protein (Rbp), is a regulator of this process. Ana2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Apr2026-05-13T16:01:20.229Z2025-04-06T19:54:57.352ZS-EPMC80775173372289810.1242/dev.187773