Jaeyong Han

Transgenic birds embody one of the most potent and exciting research tools in biotechnology for agriculture, medicine, and model animals. To date, retrovirus- or lentivirus-mediated transgenesis has been established in chickens and quail. However, despite having a valid technique for viral transduction to achieve transgenic birds, many obstacles exist for practical applications because of relatively low and variable rates of germ-line transmission and transgenic offspring showing transgene silen

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) from stage 27 (5.5-day-old) Korean native ogol chicken embryonic germinal ridges were cultured in vitro for 5 days. As in in vivo culture, these cultured PGCs were expected to have already passed beyond the migration stage. Approximately 200 of these PGCs were transferred into 2.5-day-old white leghorn embryonic blood stream, and then the recipient embryos were incubated until hatching. The rate of hatching was 58.8% in the manipulated eggs. Six out of 60 recipients

In the avian species, germline chimera production could be possible by transfer of donor germ cells into the blood vessel of recipient embryos. This study was conducted to establish an efficient transfer system of chicken gonadal primordial germ cells (gPGCs) for producing the chimeras having a high capacity of germline transmission. Gonadal PGCs retrieved from 5.5-day-old embryos (stage 28) of Korean Ogol chicken (KOC with i/i gene) were transferred into the dorsal aorta of 2.5-day-old embryos

The present study was conducted to apply an interspecies germ cell transfer technique to wild bird reproduction. Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) primordial germ cells (PGCs) retrieved from the gonads of 7-day-old embryos were transferred to the bloodstream of 2.5-day-old chicken (Gallus gallus) embryos. Pheasant-to-chicken germline chimeras hatched from the recipient embryos, and 10 pheasants were derived from testcross reproduction of the male chimeras with female pheasants. Gonadal migration of

This study was undertaken to develop novel markers for chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs), which are of potentially enormous value in transgenic research. Gonadal cells collected from 5.5-day-old chicken embryos were cultured in a Dulbecco's minimal essential medium and the PGC colonies formed during the primary culture period were subcultured three times. Characterization of the PGCs with the candidate marker reagents was performed on the mixed cell population 2 hours after seeding, after the

The timing and biological events associated with germ cell specification in chickens have not been determined yet. In this study, we report the origin of primordial germ cells (PGCs) and germ plasm dynamics through investigation of the expression of the chicken homolog of deleted in azoospermia-like (cDAZL) gene during germ cell specification. Asymmetric localization of germ plasm in the center of oocytes from preovulatory follicle stages leads to PGCs being formed in the center. During cleavage

In this study, we proposed a testis-mediated germline chimera production system based on the transplantation of testicular cells directly into heterologous testes. The testicular cells of juvenile (4-wk-old) or adult (24-wk-old) Korean Ogol chickens with a recessive pigmentation inhibitory gene, with or without prior culture, were injected (2 x 10(7) cells/head) into the seminiferous tubules of juvenile or adult recipients with White Leghorn with a dominant pigmentation inhibitory gene in a 2 x

Currently, transgenic animals have found a wide range of industrial applications and are invaluable in various fields of basic research. Notably, deposition of transgene-encoded proteins in the egg white (EW) of hens affords optimal production of genetically engineered biomaterials. In the present study, we developed a minisynthetic promoter modulating transgene transcription specifically in the hen's oviduct, and assayed the bioactivity of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) driven by that pro

This study reports for the first time the production of chicken germline chimeras by transfer of embryonic germ (EG) cells into recipient embryos of different strain. EG cells were established by the subculture of gonadal tissue cells retrieved from stage 28 White Leghorn (WL) embryos with I/I gene. During primary culture (P(0)), gonadal primordial germ cells (gPGCs) in the stromal cells began to form colonies after 7 days in culture with significant (P < 0.0001) increase in cell population. Col

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) have facilitated the production of genome-edited animals for use as models. Because of their unique developmental system, avian species offer many advantages as model vertebrates. Here, we report the development of novel chicken models using the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated nonhomologous end joining repair pathway in chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs). Through the introduction of a donor plasmid c

DNA methylation is widespread in most species, from bacteria to mammals, and is crucial for genomic imprinting, gene expression, and embryogenesis. DNA methylation occurs via two major classes of enzymatic reactions: maintenance-type methylation catalyzed by DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase (DNMT) 1, and de novo methylation catalyzed by DNMT 3 alpha (DNMT3A) and -beta (DNMT3B). The expression pattern and regulation of DNMT genes in primordial germ cells (PGCs) and germ line cells has not been

Estrogen is a key regulator in the development of the female reproductive system. It also stimulates oviduct development in immature chicks. We identified candidate genes and pathways associated with the development of chicken oviducts. A pellet containing the synthetic estrogen analog diethylstilbestrol (DES) was implanted subcutaneously in 1-wk-old female chicks for 10 days. The pellet was removed from half the group for 10 days, and an additional dose was given for a further 10 days. Total RN

The innate immune system, which senses invading pathogens, plays a critical role as the first line of host defense. After recognition of foreign RNA ligands (e.g., RNA viruses), host cells generate an innate immune or antiviral response <i>via</i> the interferon-mediated signaling pathway. Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-1) acts as a major sensor that recognizes a broad range of RNA ligands in mammals; however, chickens lack a RIG-1 homolog, meaning that RNA ligands should be recognized by o