Generation of Medaka Fish Haploid Embryonic Stem Cells

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 326; no. 5951; pp. 430 - 433
• Main Authors: Yi, Meisheng, Hong, Ni, Hong, Yunhan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Association for the Advancement of Science 16.10.2009; The American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation; Cell growth; Cell Line; Cell lines; Cell Proliferation; Cell Shape; Chromosomal Instability; Cloning, Organism; Crosses, Genetic; Cytogenetics; Diploidy; Embryo, Nonmammalian - cytology; Embryonic stem cells; Embryonic Stem Cells - cytology; Embryonic Stem Cells - physiology; Embryos; Female; Fish; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetic engineering; genetic techniques and protocols; Genetics of eukaryotes. Biological and molecular evolution; Genomics; Genotype & phenotype; Germ cells; gynogenesis; Haploidy; Male; meiosis; Methods and miscellaneous; mitosis; Neurons; Nuclear Transfer Techniques; Offspring; Oocytes; Oryzias - embryology; Oryzias - genetics; Oryzias - physiology; Oryzias latipes; Phenotype; Pluripotent stem cells; Pluripotent Stem Cells - cytology; Pluripotent Stem Cells - physiology; progeny; Stem cells; Transplantation Chimera; Vertebrates; Yeasts; Haploidy; Vertebrata; Embryo; Phenotype; Investigation method; Pisces; Stem cell; Recessive character; Oryzias latipes
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1175151

Haploid embryonic stem (ES) cells combine haploidy and pluripotency, enabling direct genetic analyses of recessive phenotypes in vertebrate cells. Haploid cells have been elusive for culture, due to their inferior growth and genomic instability. Here, we generated gynogenetic medaka embryos and obtained three haploid ES cell lines that retained pluripotency and competitive growth. Upon nuclear transfer into unfertilized oocytes, the haploid ES cells, even after genetic engineering, generated viable offspring capable of germline transmission. Hence, haploid medaka ES cells stably maintain normal growth, pluripotency, and genomic integrity. Mosaic oocytes created by combining a mitotic nucleus and a meiotic nucleus can generate fertile fish offspring. Haploid ES cells may offer a yeast-like system for analyzing recessive phenotypes in numerous cell lineages of vertebrates in vitro.