The functions of Wt1 in mouse gonad development and somatic cells differentiation†

Min Chen; Changhuo Cen; Nan Wang; Zhiming Shen; Mengyue Wang; Bowen Liu; Jiayi Li; Xiuhong Cui; Yanbo Wang; Fei Gao

doi:10.1093/biolre/ioac050

The functions of Wt1 in mouse gonad development and somatic cells differentiation†

Biol Reprod. 2022 Jul 25;107(1):269-274. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioac050.

Authors

Min Chen^{1

2

3

4}, Changhuo Cen^{1

2

3

4}, Nan Wang^{1

2

3

4}, Zhiming Shen^{1

2

3

4}, Mengyue Wang^{1

2

3

4}, Bowen Liu^{1

2

3

4}, Jiayi Li^{1

2

3

4}, Xiuhong Cui^{1

2

3}, Yanbo Wang⁵, Fei Gao^{1

2

3

4}

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
² Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
³ Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China.
⁴ University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
⁵ College of Life Sciences and Food Engineering, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao, Inner Mongolia, China.

PMID: 35244683
DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac050

Abstract

Wilms' tumor 1 (Wt1) encodes a zinc finger nuclear transcription factor which is mutated in 15-20% of Wilms' tumor, a pediatric kidney tumor. Wt1 has been found to be involved in the development of many organs. In gonads, Wt1 is expressed in genital ridge somatic cells before sex determination, and its expression is maintained in Sertoli cells and granulosa cells after sex determination. It has been demonstrated that Wt1 is required for the survival of the genital ridge cells. Homozygous mutation of Wt1 causes gonad agenesis. Recent studies find that Wt1 plays important roles in lineage specification and maintenance of gonad somatic cells. In this review, we will summarize the recent research works about Wt1 in gonadal somatic cell differentiation.

Keywords: Wt1; Sertoli cells; granulosa cells.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Differentiation*
Female
Genes, Wilms Tumor
Gonads* / growth & development
Humans
Male
Mice
WT1 Proteins* / genetics
WT1 Proteins* / physiology

Substances

WT1 Proteins
WT1 protein, human
WT1 protein, mouse