Induction of Meiosis from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Overview

Journal bioRxiv

Date 2024 Jun 10

PMID 38854076

Authors

Merrick Pierson Smela

Jessica Adams

Carl Ma

Laura Breimann

Ursula Widocki

Toshi Shioda

George M Church

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

An model of human meiosis would accelerate research into this important reproductive process and development of therapies for infertility. We have developed a method to induce meiosis starting from male or female human pluripotent stem cells. We demonstrate that DNMT1 inhibition, retinoid signaling activation, and overexpression of regulatory factors (anti-apoptotic BCL2, and pro-meiotic HOXB5, BOLL, or MEIOC) rapidly activates meiosis, with leptonema beginning at 6 days, zygonema at 9 days, and pachynema at 12 days. Immunofluorescence microscopy shows key aspects of meiosis, including chromosome synapsis and sex body formation. The meiotic cells express genes similar to meiotic oogonia , including all synaptonemal complex components and machinery for meiotic recombination. These findings establish an accessible system for inducing human meiosis .

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