Project Details
Projekt
FOR 1041: Germ Cell Potential
Subject Area
Medicine
Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine
Biology
Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine
Biology
Term
from 2008 to 2015
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 58733678
The Research Unit will explore and exploit the potential of germ cells. It combines stem cell research and reproductive medicine. Using modern cellular and molecular techniques (stem cell culture, 2D and 3D microscopy, methylation analysis, expression profiling and proteomics), it will investigate the development and the decline of the germ cell potential during in vivo and in vitro gametogenesis. A major focus will be the genetic and epigenetic determinants of the germ cell potential. The projects will take advantage of the particular strengths of well-established animal models and clinical studies:
(1) Mouse (short generation time and excellent genome resources),
(2) Cow (mono-ovulatory mammal),
(3) Non-human primates (highly similar to humans, material easily available from tissues and developmental stages that are difficult to obtain in humans) and
(4) Humans (patients with naturally occurring mutations that impair spermatogenesis and oogenesis; children conceived after in vitro maturation of oocytes). The Research Unit is composed of basic and clinical scientists, who work in gynaecology, andrology, veterinary medicine, genetics and developmental biology. We expect that this multidisciplinary approach will not only advance our understanding of the germ cell, but also generate the basis for novel treatment protocols. At short-term we expect to
(1) identify genetic, epigenetic and biochemical factors involved in germ cell development, maturation and aging,
(2) improve protocols for the therapeutic use of in vitro matured oocytes,
(3) monitor the safety of in vitro maturation. At long-term we expect to
(1) delineate essential cellular and molecular pathways that define germ cell potential,
(2) develop novel strategies to treat male and female infertility and
(3) exploit the potential of spermatogonial stem cells for regenerative medicine.
(1) Mouse (short generation time and excellent genome resources),
(2) Cow (mono-ovulatory mammal),
(3) Non-human primates (highly similar to humans, material easily available from tissues and developmental stages that are difficult to obtain in humans) and
(4) Humans (patients with naturally occurring mutations that impair spermatogenesis and oogenesis; children conceived after in vitro maturation of oocytes). The Research Unit is composed of basic and clinical scientists, who work in gynaecology, andrology, veterinary medicine, genetics and developmental biology. We expect that this multidisciplinary approach will not only advance our understanding of the germ cell, but also generate the basis for novel treatment protocols. At short-term we expect to
(1) identify genetic, epigenetic and biochemical factors involved in germ cell development, maturation and aging,
(2) improve protocols for the therapeutic use of in vitro matured oocytes,
(3) monitor the safety of in vitro maturation. At long-term we expect to
(1) delineate essential cellular and molecular pathways that define germ cell potential,
(2) develop novel strategies to treat male and female infertility and
(3) exploit the potential of spermatogonial stem cells for regenerative medicine.
DFG Programme
Research Units
Projects
- Der Einfluss humaner testikulärer Peritubulärzellen auf testikuläre Stammzellen und die Stammzellnische im Hoden: Eine Analyse des «Sekretoms" und in vitro Studien (Applicants Arnold, Georg Josef ; Mayerhofer, Artur )
- Eigenschaften und entwicklungsabhängige Veränderungen von spermatogonialen Stammzellen und deren Nischen in Weißbüschelaffen (Applicants Behr, Rüdiger ; Schlatt, Stefan )
- Entwicklungspotenzial, epigenetischer Status, Proteomprofil und Gesundheit von Mammalieroozyten und Embryonen aus Cryopreservierung und verbesserter und mehrstufiger Follikelkultur (Applicants Arnold, Georg Josef ; Eichenlaub-Ritter, Ursula ; Griesinger, Georg ; Haaf, Thomas )
- Epigenetische Analyse der Eizell- und Embryonalentwicklung am Modellorganismus Rind (Applicants Haaf, Thomas ; Niemann, Heiner ; Wrenzycki, Christine )
- Epimutations in the male germ cell and possible consequences for ART outcome (Applicants Gromoll, Jörg ; Haaf, Thomas )
- In vitro Ableitung und Maturierung von Oozyten aus embryonalen Stammzellen der Maus (Applicant Schöler, Hans Robert )
- In vitro maturation (IVM) - clinical follow up of pregnancies achieved by in vitro maturation and consecutive IVF and analysis of IVM oocytes in the human and a mouse model (Applicants Haaf, Thomas ; Strowitzki, Thomas )
- Management of the Research Unit (Applicant Gromoll, Jörg )
- Molecular analysis of disorders of gonadal development (Applicants Ledig, Susanne ; Wieacker, Peter Frank )
- Segregation of genomic sequence variations and contribution to loss of diploid and haploid germ cells (Applicant Tüttelmann, Frank )
- Strukturelle, molekulare und funkfionale Analyse der frühen Embryogenese beim Rind: Parameter für das Potenfial von Oozyten nach in vitro vs. in vivo Reifung (Applicants Arnold, Georg Josef ; Habermann, Felix Andreas ; Wolf, Eckhard )
- Zum Potential spermatogonialer Stammzellen (Applicants Nolte, Jessica ; Schulze, Wolfgang ; Zechner, Ph.D., Ulrich )
Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Jörg Gromoll
