Establishment of bovine expanded potential stem cells.

Area of Science:

• Stem cell biology
• Developmental biology
• Livestock biotechnology

Background:

• Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are valuable for research but challenging to derive in large livestock.
• Expanded potential stem cells (EPSCs) are derived from early embryos and show broader developmental potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish and characterize bovine EPSCs (bEPSCs) from preimplantation embryos.
• To explore the utility of bEPSCs for gene editing and livestock biotechnology.

Main Methods:

• Derivation of bEPSCs from wild-type and SCNT-derived preimplantation embryos.
• Characterization of bEPSCs for pluripotency gene expression, genetic stability, and differentiation potential.
• Assessment of gene editing efficiency and utility in SCNT.

Main Results:

• Successful establishment of robust, genetically stable bEPSCs in feeder-free culture.
• bEPSCs express pluripotency markers and differentiate into three germ layers.
• Efficient gene editing in bEPSCs, enabling their use in SCNT for livestock.

Conclusions:

• bEPSCs represent a promising stem cell source for large livestock, overcoming limitations of traditional ESCs.
• This technology has significant potential to advance livestock biotechnology, agriculture, and genetic improvement.