Disease relevance of Gcna1

• All postnatal undifferentiated and differentiated teratoma cells did not appear to express GCNA1 [1].

High impact information on Gcna1

• However, nuclear labeling of GCNA-1 was better suited for counting germ cells in histological sections as well as for double labeling with the antibody against synaptonemal complex (SC) proteins in chromosome spreading preparations [2].
• In the present study, we established a new method to quantify murine germ cells by using Germ Cell Nuclear Antigen-1 (GCNA-1) as a germ cell marker [2].
• Both methods demonstrated a continuous decline in the number of GCNA-1-labeled cells during fetal development when the oocytes progress through meiotic prophase [2].
• The latter experiment demonstrated that the majority of GCNA-1-labeled cells entered and progressed through meiotic prophase during fetal development [2].
• The number of GCNA-1-positive cells in the ovary was estimated by counting the labeled cells retained in chromosome spreading preparations and also in histological sections by using the ratio estimation method [2].

Biological context of Gcna1

• GCNA1 is continually expressed in germ cells through all stages of gametogenesis until the diplotene/dictyate stage of meiosis I [3].
• While most of the germ cells undergo apoptosis without expressing GCNA1, a few surviving germs cells, especially outside the involuting gonad clearly express GCNA1 [3].
• GCNA1 is expressed in mouse germ cells after they migrate into the genital ridge (11.5 dpc), throughout embryonic development until postnatally germ cells arrive at the diplotene/dictyate stage of the first meiotic division, when it is no longer expressed [1].

Anatomical context of Gcna1

• Comparison of GCNA-1 and MVH immunolabeling revealed that the two markers identify the same population of germ cells [2].
• However, GCNA1 appears to be absent from sperm in the epididymis and vas deferens, Sertoli cells, TM3 cells (Leydig-like) and TM4 cells (Sertoli-like), lung, liver, kidney, spleen, heart, skin, brain, epididymis, and ovary [4].
• Immunolocalization demonstrates that GCNA1 is abundant in nuclei of spermatogonia and early spermatocytes, but decreases during subsequent spermatocyte and round spermatid development, and is not detected beyond step 10 elongating spermatids [4].
• As detected by either alkaline phosphatase or GCNA1, we did not detect long-term survival of either prospermatogonia or oogonia under conditions that support the survival, proliferation, and differentiation of earlier premigratory cells [5].
• We recently reported that a mouse germ cell nuclear antigen 1 (GCNA1) is initially detected in both male and female germ cells as they reach the gonad at 11.5 days postcoitum (dpc) [3].

Other interactions of Gcna1

• These colonies were positive partially when screened with antibody for germ cell nuclear antigen and c-kit [6].
• We also examined GCNA1 expression Ftz-F1 null mice, which were born lacking gonads and adrenal glands [3].

References