Evidence for existence of molecular stemness markers in porcine ovarian follicular granulosa cells

Abstract

Granulosa cells (GCs) are important component of the follicle, a principal functional unit of the ovary. They undergo highly dynamic changes during folliculogenesis and play a vital role in oocyte’s maturation. Recently, it has been shown that GCs also exhibit stem cell properties, since they express OCT-4, Nanog, Sox-2, which are markers of pluripotency, as well as several mesenchymal stem cell markers, such as CD29, CD44, CD90, CD105, CD117 or CD166. In addition, GCs are able to differentiate towards neurogenic, chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages. Since the use of embryonic stem cells in regenerative medicine is burdened with ethical concerns and the risk of immune rejection or teratoma formation, adult stem cells are emerging as a promising alternative. GCs especially seem to provide a promising source of stem cells, since they are easily obtainable during assisted reproduction techniques. In order to better understand the genetic changes taking place in proliferating granulosa cells cultured in vitro, we isolated GCs from 40 prepubertal gilts and cultured them in vitro for 168 h. After 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 and 168 h of cultivation the total RNA was extracted, reverse transcription was conducted and RT-qPCR reaction was performed. We observed that CD44, CD90 and IGF1 were upregulated after the cultivation, whereas CD105 and LIF were downregulated. Collectively, our results confirm stemness potential of porcine GCs and provide an insight into the transcriptome changes during in vitro cultivation.Running title: Molecular stemness markers in porcine granulosa cells

The Stemness of Human Ovarian Granulosa Cells and the Role of Resveratrol in the Differentiation of MSCs—A Review Based on Cellular and Molecular Knowledge

“…When it comes to ovary associated MSCs, small embryonic stem cells (VSELs) constitute a quiescent and multipotent population, whereas ovarian stem cells (OSCs) are a larger and actively dividing mesenchymal population, both found in the epithelial layer. VSELs, expressing embryonic markers such as Oct-4, are found embedded in the ovary surface epithelium (OSE) [ 41 ]. Both VSELs and OSCs participate in formation of the oocytes and primordial follicles in response to FSH.…”

“…Both VSELs and OSCs participate in formation of the oocytes and primordial follicles in response to FSH. Formation of the primordial follicle is also preceded by epithelial-mesenchymal transition of epithelial cells lining the surface of the ovary [ 41 ]. With the onset of ovulation, the basal lamina is ruptured, and the inner layer of GCs become more loosely packed, less polarized, and increasingly proliferative, all being characteristics of the mesenchymal cell type [ 18 ].…”

Human Granulosa Cells—Stemness Properties, Molecular Cross-Talk and Follicular Angiogenesis

“…While OSCs express OCT-4A, VSELs are characterised by the expression of OCT-4B [34]. The variety in the expression of OCT-4 occurs due to asymmetric cell division of VSELs embedded in the OSE, causing relocation of OCT-4 from the nuclear membrane to the cytoplasm in MSCs [35]. In addition, VSELs present in all adult organs are thought to migrate to different tissues to replace potentially damaged cells [36].…”

Human Wharton’s Jelly—Cellular Specificity, Stemness Potency, Animal Models, and Current Application in Human Clinical Trials

“…ASCs comprise hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), the latter being isolated from various tissue sources, such as bone marrow [3], adipose tissue [4], dental pulp [5], placenta [6], and many others. In contrast, stem cell properties have been discovered in cells that are normally not considered stem cells, such as ovarian granulosa cells [7,8] or buccal pouch mucosal cells [9]. Recently, the perinatal tissues, such as the umbilical cord, have become of interest in regards to cellular therapies; because they are typically discarded after birth, their utilization as an MSC source is not ethically controversial and their collection does not involve a painful procedure.…”