Extraembryonic Endoderm (XEN) Cells Capable of Contributing to Embryonic Chimeras Established from Pig Embryos

• Published in: Stem cell reports Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 212 - 223
• Main Authors: Park, Chi-Hun, Jeoung, Young-Hee, Uh, Kyung-Jun, Park, Ki-Eun, Bridge, Jessica, Powell, Anne, Li, Jie, Pence, Laramie, Zhang, Luhui, Liu, Tianbin, Sun, Hai-Xi, Gu, Ying, Shen, Yue, Wu, Jun, Izpisua Belmonte, Juan-Carlos, Telugu, Bhanu P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 12.01.2021; Elsevier
• Subjects: Cloning; embryonic chimera; extra-embryonic cells; gut endoderm; pig/porcine; primitive endoderm; Resource; SCNT; stem cell; XEN; yolk sac; XEN; SCNT; extra-embryonic cells; gut endoderm; stem cell; embryonic chimera; Cloning; primitive endoderm; pig/porcine; yolk sac
• ISSN: 2213-6711; 2213-6711
• DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.11.011

Most of our current knowledge regarding early lineage specification and embryo-derived stem cells comes from studies in rodent models. However, key gaps remain in our understanding of these developmental processes from nonrodent species. Here, we report the detailed characterization of pig extraembryonic endoderm (pXEN) cells, which can be reliably and reproducibly generated from primitive endoderm (PrE) of blastocyst. Highly expandable pXEN cells express canonical PrE markers and transcriptionally resemble rodent XENs. The pXEN cells contribute both to extraembryonic tissues including visceral yolk sac as well as embryonic gut when injected into host blastocysts, and generate live offspring when used as a nuclear donor in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The pXEN cell lines provide a novel model for studying lineage segregation, as well as a source for genome editing in livestock. [Display omitted] •Primitive endoderm (PrE) is the predominant lineage emerging from pig blastocyst outgrowths•pXEN cells exhibit key features of PrE-progenitors and resemble rodent XEN cells•pXEN cells contribute to extraembryonic and embryonic (gut) endoderm in vivo•pXEN cells can support full-term development via somatic cell nuclear transfer In this article, Telugu, Park, and colleagues show that primitive endoderm is the predominant lineage emerging from porcine (p) embryonic outgrowths in culture, and reliably and reproducibly establish extraembryonic endoderm (XEN) cells. The pXEN cells were shown to contribute to both embryonic and extraembryonic endoderm in chimeras, and support development of live offspring via somatic cell nuclear transfer.