Closing and reopening the X chromosome is critical for oocyte development

Scientists at the Centre for Genome Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona have discovered a potential new diagnostic marker that predicts the successful and efficient development of mammalian egg cel.

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosom.

Little is known about how X chromosome inactivation affects germ cell developme.

To address this question, researchers at the Center for Genome Regulation (CRG) built an X chromosome reporter system (XRep), a tool that allows them to study how chromosomes change over time during germ cell development in vit.

On the left is an artificial ova.

Using cells from female mice, the method revealed the orchestrated behavior of the X chromosome "yoy.

The study also found that cells with two active X chromosomes divide faster and easily revert to a pluripotent sta.

"Our findings have important implications for reproductive research, as XRep allows us to assess a cell's X chromosome status in real time, helping to identify and isolate germ cells that are transformed into oocytes with high success rates," said CRG's group leader and the study's lead auth.

"Human oocytes have never been fully generated in vit.

Dr Moritz Bauer, one of the study's first authors, added: "Our results also underscore how we need specific tools to study female cel.

Reference: "Controlled X-chromosome activation dynamics defines meiotic potential of female mouse in vitro germ cells" 23 May 2022, The ? EMBO Journa.