干细胞向雌性生殖细胞分化的研究进展

Research Progress in Differentiation of Stem Cells to Female Germ Cells

干细胞是一类具有自我更新和多向分化潜能的细胞。根据其来源不同,干细胞可分为胚胎干细胞、成体干细胞以及诱导性多能干细胞。生殖细胞系负责跨代传递遗传和表观遗传信息,以确保新的正常个体产生。人类辅助生殖技术(ART)虽可解决部分难治性不孕不育患者的生育问题,但尚不能解决由于卵巢早衰生殖细胞缺乏导致的不孕,如果在体外可以将干细胞定向诱导分化为生殖细胞,则可能通过ART帮助卵巢早衰患者获得健康后代。雌性配子发育经历了多个严格、复杂的过程,包括原始生殖细胞(PGC)特化、增殖、迁移到生殖嵴并最终分化为成熟的卵母细胞。然而具体过程尚不明确。近年来学者已建立了干细胞向雌性生殖细胞分化的体外模型,并取得了长足进步。

Stem cells are a class of cells with self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential. According to their derivation, stem cells can be classified as embryonic stem cells （ESCs）, adult stem cells （ASCs） and induced pluripotent stem cells （iPSCs）. The germ cell lineage is responsible for transmitting genetic and epigenetic information across generations, and for ensuring new individuals. Human assisted reproductive technology （ART） could solve some intractable infertility problems, but it cannot help such infertile women as premature ovarian failure （POF） due to germ cell deficiency. If germ cells could be in vitro induced and differentiated from stem cells, it would be possible to help those POF patients to achieve their healthy offsprings through ART. Gametogenesis are involved in several complicated and rigorous steps, including primordial germ cell （PGC） specification, proliferation, migration to the gonadal ridges and final differentiation into mature gametes such as oocytes. However,the detail of gametogenesis has not been clearly elucidated up to now. Recently, many in vitro models were developed to differentiate female germ cells from stem cells,with some encouraging achievements.