Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 20, 2026

Use of Time-Lapse Microscopy and Stage-Specific Nuclear Depletion of Proteins to Study Meiosis in S. cerevisiae
07:48

Use of Time-Lapse Microscopy and Stage-Specific Nuclear Depletion of Proteins to Study Meiosis in S. cerevisiae

Published on: October 11, 2022

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 is essential for meiosis but not for mitotic cell division in mice

Sagrario Ortega1, Ignacio Prieto, Junko Odajima

  • 1Molecular Oncology Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Melchor Fernández Almagro 3, Madrid E-28029, Spain. sortega@cnio.es

Nature Genetics
|August 19, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is dispensable for normal cell proliferation and survival in mice. However, CDK2 plays a critical role in completing meiosis, specifically prophase I, in germ cells.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a key regulator of the cell cycle.
  • Its precise role in organismal development and cell proliferation requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the in vivo function of CDK2.
  • To determine the necessity of CDK2 for cell proliferation and organismal survival.

Main Methods:

  • Homologous recombination was used to generate Cdk2 knockout mouse embryonic stem cells.
  • Phenotypic analysis of Cdk2-deficient mice and fibroblasts was performed.
  • Assessment of meiotic progression in germ cells was conducted.

Main Results:

  • Cdk2 knockout mice are viable and survive for up to two years.
  • Embryonic fibroblasts lacking CDK2 proliferate normally and can become immortalized.
  • CDK2 is essential for the completion of prophase I during male and female meiosis.

Conclusions:

  • CDK2 is dispensable for the proliferation and survival of most somatic cells.
  • CDK2 has an essential, previously unrecognized role in meiotic cell division.
  • This study reveals a critical function of CDK2 in gametogenesis.

More Related Videos

Functional Assessment of Kinesin-7 CENP-E in Spermatocytes Using In Vivo Inhibition, Immunofluorescence and Flow Cytometry09:41

Functional Assessment of Kinesin-7 CENP-E in Spermatocytes Using In Vivo Inhibition, Immunofluorescence and Flow Cytometry

Published on: December 28, 2021

Meiotic Spindle Assessment in Mouse Oocytes by siRNA-mediated Silencing09:16

Meiotic Spindle Assessment in Mouse Oocytes by siRNA-mediated Silencing

Published on: October 11, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Meiosis II02:02

Meiosis II

Meiosis II entails cell division and segregation of the sister chromatids, resulting in the production of four unique haploid gametes. The steps for meiosis II are similar to mitosis, except that meiosis II occurs in haploid cells, whereas mitosis occurs in diploid cells.
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
Meiosis II02:23

Meiosis II

Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each containing...
Meiosis II02:02

Meiosis II

Meiosis II entails cell division and segregation of the sister chromatids, resulting in the production of four unique haploid gametes. The steps for meiosis II are similar to mitosis, except that meiosis II occurs in haploid cells, whereas mitosis occurs in diploid cells.
The timing and cell division patterns of meiosis differ between males and females. In male meiosis, the centrosomes are part of the formation of the meiotic spindle. However, in oocytes, including that of humans, Drosophila,...
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis02:15

M-Cdk Drives Transition Into Mitosis

Checkpoints throughout the cell cycle serve as safeguards and gatekeepers, allowing the cell cycle to progress in favorable conditions and slow or halt it in problematic ones. This regulation is known as the cell cycle control system.
Cyclin-dependent kinases, or Cdks, work in concert with cyclins to control cell cycle transitions. M-Cdk, a complex of Cdk1 bound to M cyclin, is a well-known example of this coordinated control that drives the transition from the G2 to the M phase.
M cyclin...
Meiosis vs. Mitosis02:57

Meiosis vs. Mitosis

Cell division is necessary for growth and reproduction in organisms. Mitosis aids cell growth and development by dividing somatic cells. In contrast, meiosis causes the division of germ cells and plays an essential role in sexual reproduction. Due to their unique functional requirements, mitosis and meiosis differ from each other in multiple aspects.
Before the start of mitosis and meiosis I, the cell synthesizes DNA, resulting in two homologous copies of each chromosome. DNA synthesis is...