Expression of the pluripotency marker UTF1 is restricted to a subpopulation of early A spermatogonia in rat testis

Abstract

The population of early A spermatogonia includes stem cells that possess spermatogonial stem cell properties. Recent reports suggest that these cells have the ability to regain pluripotent properties. Here, we show that expression of the pluripotency marker undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (UTF1) is restricted to distinct germ cells within the testis. In embryonic and neonatal testes, all gonocytes were found to strongly express UTF1. During further testicular development, expression of UTF1 was restricted to a subset of A spermatogonia and with the increase in age the number of cells expressing UTF1 decreased even more. Ultimately, in the adult rat testis, only a small subset of the A spermatogonia expressed UTF1. Remarkably, even in testes of vitamin A-deficient rats, in which the early A spermatogonia (A s , A pr , and A al ) are the only type of spermatogonia, only a subset of the spermatogonia expressed UTF1. In the adult rat testis, expression of UTF1 is restricted to a subpopulation of the ZBTB16 (PLZF)-positive early A spermatogonia. Furthermore, the observed distribution pattern of UTF1-expressing cells over the different stages of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium suggests that the expression of UTF1 is restricted to those A s , A pr , and short chains of A al spermatogonia that are in the undifferentiated state and therefore maintain the ability to differentiate into A1 spermatogonia in the next round of the epithelial cycle or possibly even in other directions when they are taken out of their testicular niche.

Differential marker protein expression specifies rarefaction zone-containing human Adark spermatogonia

“…Our study thus characterised human spermatogonia with rarefaction zones as KIT K /DMRT1 K /KI-67 K cell type which strongly expressed the consensus stem cell markers PLZF and GFRA1 (at least in subfractions) as well as SPOC1, FGFR3 and UTF1, the latter being associated with an 'undifferentiated' state in rodents (van Bragt et al 2008). However, this expression signature was not absolutely specific, but occasionally was shared by other spermatogonial subtypes.…”

Functional and molecular features of the Id4+ germline stem cell population in mouse testes

“…7). Indeed, while not yet characterized in mice, the expression of Utf1 is restricted to a rare subset of undifferentiated spermatogonia in rat testes (van Bragt et al 2008), similar to Id4 expression in the spermatogonial lineage of mouse testes.…”

Cycling to and from a stem cell niche: the temporal and spatial odyssey of mitotic male germ cells

“…Peritubular myoid cells and Leydig cells, meanwhile, exhibit colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF1) localization, with the CSF1 receptor restricted to the undifferentiated spermatogonia expressing cell surface antigen THY1 (Oatley et al, 2009). Additional germ cell-intrinsic molecules enriched in SSCs and important for their self-renewal include POU domain, class 5, transcription factor 1 (Pou5f1, Oct4), zinc finger and BTB domain containing 16 (Zbtb16, Plzf), lin-28 homolog A (Lin28), B cell CLL/ lymphoma 6, member B (Bcl6b), neurogenin 3 (Neurog3, Ngn3), inhibitor of DNA binding 4 (Id4), sal-like 4 (Sall4), cadherin 1 (Cdh1), and undifferentiated embryonic cell transcription factor 1 (Utf1) (Buaas et al, 2004, Costoya et al, 2004, Dann et al, 2008, Eildermann et al, 2012, Oatley et al, 2006, Oatley et al, 2011, Tokuda et al, 2007, van Bragt et al, 2008, Yoshida et al, 2004, Zheng et al, 2009. All of these factors are expressed in SSCs within the niche, resulting in the self-renewal of undifferentiated spermatogonia (Fig.…”