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

m Van Bragt, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
h Roepers, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, utrecht, Netherlands
c Korver, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Center, utrecht, Netherlands
J Bogerd, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
A Okuda, Division of Developmental Biology, Research Center for Genomic Medicine, Saitama Medical University, Saitama, Japan
B Eggen, Department of Developmental Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, haren, Netherlands
D de Rooij, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
A van Pelt, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Academic Medical Center, utrecht, Netherlands

Correspondence: Maaike Van Bragt, Email: m.vanbragt{at}bio.uu.nl

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 (As, Apr and Aal) are the only type of spermatogonia, only a subset of the spermatogonia expressed UTF1. In adult rat testis expression of UTF1 is restricted to a subpopulation of the 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 As, Apr and short chains of Aal spermatogonia that are in the undifferentiated state and therefore maintain the ability to differentiate into A1 spermatogonia in a next round of the epithelial cycle or possibly even in other directions when they are taken out of their testicular niche.