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Germline stem cells and follicular renewal in the postnatal mammalian ovary

Author

Listed:
  • Joshua Johnson

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Jacqueline Canning

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Tomoko Kaneko

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

  • James K. Pru

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

  • Jonathan L. Tilly

    (Massachusetts General Hospital
    Harvard Medical School)

Abstract

A basic doctrine of reproductive biology is that most mammalian females lose the capacity for germ-cell renewal during fetal life, such that a fixed reserve of germ cells (oocytes) enclosed within follicles is endowed at birth. Here we show that juvenile and adult mouse ovaries possess mitotically active germ cells that, based on rates of oocyte degeneration (atresia) and clearance, are needed to continuously replenish the follicle pool. Consistent with this, treatment of prepubertal female mice with the mitotic germ-cell toxicant busulphan eliminates the primordial follicle reserve by early adulthood without inducing atresia. Furthermore, we demonstrate cells expressing the meiotic entry marker synaptonemal complex protein 3 in juvenile and adult mouse ovaries. Wild-type ovaries grafted into transgenic female mice with ubiquitous expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) become infiltrated with GFP-positive germ cells that form follicles. Collectively, these data establish the existence of proliferative germ cells that sustain oocyte and follicle production in the postnatal mammalian ovary.

Suggested Citation

  • Joshua Johnson & Jacqueline Canning & Tomoko Kaneko & James K. Pru & Jonathan L. Tilly, 2004. "Germline stem cells and follicular renewal in the postnatal mammalian ovary," Nature, Nature, vol. 428(6979), pages 145-150, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:428:y:2004:i:6979:d:10.1038_nature02316
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02316
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    Cited by:

    1. Rita Canipari & Lucia De Santis & Sandra Cecconi, 2020. "Female Fertility and Environmental Pollution," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(23), pages 1-18, November.
    2. W Hamish B Wallace & Thomas W Kelsey, 2010. "Human Ovarian Reserve from Conception to the Menopause," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 5(1), pages 1-9, January.
    3. A. Danylevska & J. Sebestova, 2013. "Causes and consequences of maternal age-related aneuploidy in oocytes: a review," Veterinární medicína, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 58(2), pages 65-72.
    4. I. Petrová & R. Rajmon & M. Sedmíková & Z. Kuthanová & F. Jílek & J. Rozinek, 2005. "Improvement of developmental competence of aged porcine oocytes by means of the synergistic effect of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and epidermal growth factor (EGF)," Czech Journal of Animal Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 50(7), pages 300-310.

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