Generation of mouse embryonic stem cell lines from zona-free nuclear transfer embryos

Cell Reprogram. 2010 Feb;12(1):105-13. doi: 10.1089/cell.2009.0040.

Abstract

Pluripotent stem cells would have great potential in cell therapies and drug development when genetically matched with the patient; thus, histocompatible cells could be used in transplantation therapy or as a source of patient-specific cells for drug testing. Pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs)-generated via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) or parthenogenesis (pESC)-are potential sources of histocompatible cells and tissues for transplantation. Earlier studies used the piezoelectric microinjection (PEM) technique for nuclear transfer (NT) in mouse. No specific studies examined zona-free (ZF) NT as an alternative NT method to generate genetically matched ESCs of a nuclear donor. In this study, we compared the efficiency of nuclear transfer-derived ESC (ntESC) line establishment from ZF-NT, ZF-parthenogenetic (PGA), and ZF-fertilized embryos with that of the PEM-NT method. Different nuclei donor cells [cumulus, ESC, and mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF)] were used and the efficiency of ntESC derivation was investigated, along with their in vitro characterization. The ZF-NT method's efficiency was higher than that of the PEM-NT using cumulus cells. When ESCs and cumulus cells were used as nuclear donor cells, they resulted in significantly higher ZF-NT-derived ntESC line establishment rates compared to MEF cells. In conclusion, the nuclear donor cell type significantly affected the efficiency of ntESC line establishment, and the ZF-NT method was efficient to establish pluripotent ntESC lines.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Nucleus / physiology*
  • Embryo Transfer / methods*
  • Embryo, Mammalian / cytology
  • Embryo, Mammalian / physiology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred Strains
  • Nuclear Transfer Techniques / veterinary*