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Published on: February 6, 2012
Tissue Mosaicism in Xenogenic Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Injected with Unsorted Gonadal Cells from Blue Catfish
Baofeng Su1, Logan Bern2, Kate B Pottle2
1School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 36849, United States of America. BZS0014@auburn.edu.
Abstract:
Xenogenic individuals are sterilized hosts that are colonized by germ cells transplanted from a donor species and can subsequently produce donor-derived gametes. In our case, unsorted gonadal cells from a donor species injected near the genital ridge of a sterile surrogate should colonize only that region, eventually becoming donor gametes. Unsorted gonadal cells from blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) injected into triploid common carp (Cyprinus carpio) embryos and fry were detected by PCR assays predominantly in recipient gonads and, in a subset of individuals, occasionally in DNA extracts from pectoral fin, anal fin, or muscle tissue, resulting in mosaicism in these tissues (presence of donor DNA/cells). Recipients retained normal common carp morphology. Donor signal was not detected in other assayed tissues, including eyes, livers, intestines, and hearts. This is the first report of such aberrant, presumably gonadal stem cell migration and colonization outside the gonads in xenogenic fish. Individuals injected later in development had reduced or no mosaicism compared to those injected at early developmental stages. Catfish donor cells were detected in the gonad, muscle, anal fin, and pectoral fin of both diploid and triploid common carp hosts. The incidence of non-target tissues containing blue catfish DNA trended towards being higher in triploids than diploids, especially when mosaicism involved three tissues. These findings provide preliminary insights into donor unsorted gonadal cell migration, tissue-specific persistence, and developmental timing in reproductive biology. These PCR findings indicate tissue mosaicism but do not establish somatic differentiation.
Insights
Blue catfish cells injected into common carp showed unexpected migration and colonization outside the gonads, creating mosaicism in various tissues. Early developmental stage injections resulted in more widespread donor cell presence.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Xenotransplantation
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Xenogenic individuals are hosts receiving germ cells from a donor species to produce donor-derived gametes.
- This study investigates the migration and colonization patterns of transplanted gonadal cells in fish.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the migration patterns of blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) gonadal cells after injection into common carp (Cyprinus carpio).
- To identify colonization sites and assess mosaicism in recipient fish.
- To evaluate the impact of developmental timing and host ploidy on cell migration.
Main Methods:
- Injection of unsorted blue catfish gonadal cells into common carp embryos and fry.
- PCR assays to detect donor DNA in various recipient tissues.
- Comparison of mosaicism incidence between diploid and triploid hosts and across different developmental stages.
Main Results:
- Blue catfish cells were predominantly found in the gonads of common carp recipients.
- Donor cells were also detected in pectoral fin, anal fin, and muscle tissue, indicating mosaicism.
- Mosaicism was reduced in individuals injected later in development.
- Triploid hosts showed a trend towards higher incidence of non-target tissue colonization compared to diploids.
Conclusions:
- This study reports the first instance of aberrant gonadal stem cell migration and colonization outside the gonads in xenogenic fish.
- Findings suggest that developmental timing and host ploidy influence donor cell migration and persistence.
- The results provide insights into donor cell behavior in reproductive biology but do not confirm somatic differentiation.
