Effects of 17beta-estradiol on distribution of primordial germ cell migration in male chicks.

Aim: To assess whether exogenous estradiol has any effect on migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in the chick.

Methods: Fertilized eggs were treated with 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) (80 microg/egg) at stage X (day 0 of incubation), stages 8-10 (incubation 30 h) and 13-15 (incubation 55 h). Controls received vehicle (emulsion) only.

Cloning and characterization of chicken SPATA4 gene and analysis of its specific expression.

The spermatogenesis associated 4 gene (SPATA4, previously named TSARG2) was first cloned from a mouse testis cDNA library and was reported to be a candidate apoptosis-related gene in male germ cells. In this study, we cloned and characterized the SPATA4 gene from chicken (Gallus gallus). Bioinformatics analysis shows that the chicken SPATA4 gene is located on chromosome 4, is made up of six exons, and contains an 860 bp open reading frame encoding a putative protein of 250 amino acids.

Blastocysts produced by nuclear transfer between chicken blastodermal cells and rabbit oocytes.

Interspecies nuclear transfer (INT) has been used as an invaluable tool for studying nucleus-cytoplasm interactions; and it may also be a method for rescuing endangered species whose oocytes are difficult to obtain. In the present study, we investigated interaction of the chicken genome with the rabbit oocyte cytoplasm. When chicken blastodermal cells were transferred into the perivitelline space of rabbit oocytes, 79.