Int. J. Dev. Biol. 45: S141 - S142 (2001)
Primordial germ cell characterization by immunohistochemistry of vasa-homologue protein in preimplantational rabbit embryos
Published: 1 June 2001
Abstract
Primordial germ cells (PGC) present alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity that make easy their localization in different species. Nevertheless in rabbit, like in mouse, AP shows positive reaction in different tissues. New markers allow a more specific localization of PGCs. In this work, we present the identification of PGCs in the development of pre-implantation rabbit embryos using mouse-vasa-homologue protein (MH-vasa) in young rabbit embryos (6,7 and 7.5 dpc.) and their analyses in culture for 48 hours of 7.5 dpc. embryos. Colocalization of label with AP and TEC-1 was made. The results indicate that MH-vasa is more specific for the identification of PGC in young rabbit embryos. MH-vasa label a high number of cells in 6 dpc. rabbit embryos, probably not all of them PGC but in 7.5 dpc embryos after 48 h in culture, only a group of cells in the trophoectoderm close to the caudal pole of the embryo is labeled. This localization may correspond to the specific position of PGCs. MH-vasa is described as a specific marker of RNA helicase that maintains the undifferentiated state of PGC during development and that is present in pre-implantation rabbit embryos. Only PGCs maintain the MH-vasa label in 7.5 dpc. embryos in culture for 48 h in specific cells located outside the embryonic disc, facing its caudal aspect (Project ECOS-SUD/CONICYT C97B03).
Keywords
Expression, family, gene