Germline competent mesoderm: the substrate for vertebrate germline and somatic stem cells?

Savage, Aaron M.; Alberio, Ramiro; Johnson, Andrew D.

Abstract

In vitro production of tissue-specific stem cells [e.g. haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)] is a key goal of regenerative medicine. However, recent efforts to produce fully functional tissue-specific stem cells have fallen short. One possible cause of shortcomings may be that model organisms used to characterize basic vertebrate embryology (Xenopus, zebrafish, chick) may employ molecular mechanisms for stem cell specification that are not conserved in humans, a prominent example being the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs). Germ plasm irreversibly specifies PGCs in many models; however, it is not conserved in humans, which produce PGCs from tissue termed germline-competent mesoderm (GLCM). GLCM is not conserved in organisms containing germ plasm, or even in mice, but understanding its developmental potential could unlock successful production of other stem cell types. GLCM was first discovered in embryos from the axolotl and its conservation has since been demonstrated in pigs, which develop from a flat-disc embryo like humans. Together these findings suggest that GLCM is a conserved basal trait of vertebrate embryos. Moreover, the immortal nature of germ cells suggests that immortality is retained during GLCM specification; here we suggest that the demonstrated pluripotency of GLCM accounts for retention of immortality in somatic stem cell types as well. This article has an associated Future Leaders to Watch interview with the author of the paper.

Citation

Savage, A. M., Alberio, R., & Johnson, A. D. (2021). Germline competent mesoderm: the substrate for vertebrate germline and somatic stem cells?. Biology Open, 10(10), Article bio058890. https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.058890

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 8, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Oct 14, 2021
• Publication Date: Oct 15, 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 15, 2021
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 19, 2021
• Journal: Biology open
• Electronic ISSN: 2046-6390
• Publisher: The Company of Biologists
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 10
• Article Number: bio058890
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.058890
• Keywords: General Agricultural and Biological Sciences; General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/6461092