Amplification of Oocytes through Parthenogenesis

We asked whether oocyte number could be amplified through parthenogenesis of mouse oocytes, without requiring creation of a paternal genome and a genetically unique genome. Parthenotes develop to a blastocyst-like stage, and from this parthenogenetic ESCs (pESCs) can be derived with high efficiency. Like ESCs, pESCs maintain unlimited self-renewal and pluripotency, as well as germline competence. Further, we demonstrate that their expression pattern of imprinted maternal genes resembles that observed in oocytes. pESCs can be directed to differentiate into primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) and form oocytes that produce fertile pups and reconstitute ovarian endocrine functions. The transcriptome and imprinting pattern of PGCLCs differentiated from pESCs more closely approximate those of in vivo produced embryonic PGCs, than PGCLCs produced from ESCs. Parthenogenesis offers a promising route for deriving PGCLCs and amplifying oocytes by faithfully maintaining maternal genes, without fertilization. We used ESC and pESC to do RNA-seq for analysis the gene expression of pluripotent genes, X-linked genes and imprinting genes; and then used pESC-PGCLC, ESC-PGCLC and PGCs to do RNA-seq for analysis the germ cell marker genes and imprinting genes expression.