Flexible adaptation of male germ cells from female iPSCs of endangered .

In mammals, the Y chromosome strictly influences the maintenance of male germ cells. Almost all mammalian species require genetic contributors to generate testes. An endangered species, , has a unique sex chromosome composition XO/XO, and genetic differences between males and females have not been confirmed. Although a distinctive sex-determining mechanism may exist in , it has been difficult to examine thoroughly in this rare animal species. To elucidate the discriminative sex-determining mechanism in and to find a strategy to prevent its possible extinction, we have established induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and derived interspecific chimeras using mice as the hosts and recipients. Generated iPSCs are considered to be in the so-called "true naïve" state, and iPSCs may contribute as interspecific chimeras to several different tissues and cells in live animals. Surprisingly, female iPSCs not only contributed to the female germ line in the interspecific mouse ovary but also differentiated into spermatocytes and spermatids that survived in the adult interspecific mouse testes. Thus, cells have high sexual plasticity through which female somatic cells can be converted to male germline cells. These findings suggest flexibility in cells, which can adapt their germ cell sex to the gonadal niche. The probable reduction of the extinction risk of an endangered species through the use of iPSCs is indicated by this study.