Journal
EMBO REPORTS
Volume 5, Issue 11, Pages 1078-1083Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1038/sj.embor.7400279
Keywords
Oct4 function; primordial germ cells; conditional gene targeting; Cre/loxP; apoptosis
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Funding
- NICHD NIH HHS [R01HD42011-01, R01 HD042011, R01-HD-44066-01A1, R01 HD044066] Funding Source: Medline
- NIGMS NIH HHS [T32 GM007170, T32-GM07170] Funding Source: Medline
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Previous studies have shown that Oct4 has an essential role in maintaining pluripotency of cells of the inner cell mass (ICM) and embryonic stem cells. However, Oct4 null homozygous embryos die around the time of implantation, thus precluding further analysis of gene function during development. We have used the conditional Cre/loxP gene targeting strategy to assess Oct4 function in primordial germ cells (PGCs). Loss of Oct4 function leads to apoptosis of PGCs rather than to differentiation into a trophectodermal lineage, as has been described for Oct4-deficient ICM cells. These new results suggest a previously unknown function of Oct4 in maintaining viability of mammalian germline.
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