PW1 gene/paternally expressed gene 3 (PW1/Peg3) identifies multiple adult stem and progenitor cell populations

Abstract

A variety of markers are invaluable for identifying and purifying stem/progenitor cells. Here we report the generation of a murine reporter line driven by Pw1 that reveals cycling and quiescent progenitor/stem cells in all adult tissues thus far examined, including the intestine, blood, testis, central nervous system, bone, skeletal muscle, and skin. Neurospheres generated from the adult PW1-reporter mouse show near 100% reporter-gene expression following a single passage. Furthermore, epidermal stem cells can be purified solely on the basis of reporter-gene expression. These cells are clonogenic, repopulate the epidermal stem-cell niches, and give rise to new hair follicles. Finally, we demonstrate that only PW1 reporter-expressing epidermal cells give rise to follicles that are capable of self-renewal following injury. Our data demonstrate that PW1 serves as an invaluable marker for competent self-renewing stem cells in a wide array of adult tissues, and the PW1-reporter mouse serves as a tool for rapid stem cell isolation and characterization.bulge | subgranular zone | subventricular zone | crypt | regeneration

Decorin causes autophagy in endothelial cells via Peg3

“…However, this effect is not achieved in MDEC. This difference might result from inherent differences in these primary cells, in that HUVEC are more embryonic than MDEC and thus might be more attuned to the function of Peg3, recently characterized as a candidate stem cell marker (52). Intriguingly, basal levels of MAPLC3A are relatively unperturbed by Peg3 silencing.…”

Genomic imprinting in development, growth, behavior and stem cells

“…A transgenic reporter mouse line for the paternally expressed Peg3 gene has shown that Peg3 expression in adults is restricted to stem cell/progenitor populations in a variety of tissues, including the brain, gut, bone, muscle and skin (Besson et al, 2011). The generation of neurospheres, via an in vitro technique used to isolate and amplify neuronal progenitors, resulted in ∼100% Peg3-positive cells after a single passage.…”

Defining skeletal muscle resident progenitors and their cell fate potentials

“…In our initial description of PICs, we limited our analyses to juvenile postnatal muscle owing to the technical limitations of sorting a pure population of PW1-expressing cells with available markers. We have since generated a PW1-reporter transgenic mouse carrying a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) with the PW1 locus driving β-galactosidase (PW1 nlacZ ) (Besson et al, 2011). Analyses of adult PW1 nlacZ mice revealed that both reporter and endogenous PW1 gene and protein are expressed in a wide range of adult stem cell niches, including gut, skin, CNS and early hematopoietic stem cells (Besson et al, 2011).…”

“…We have since generated a PW1-reporter transgenic mouse carrying a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) with the PW1 locus driving β-galactosidase (PW1 nlacZ ) (Besson et al, 2011). Analyses of adult PW1 nlacZ mice revealed that both reporter and endogenous PW1 gene and protein are expressed in a wide range of adult stem cell niches, including gut, skin, CNS and early hematopoietic stem cells (Besson et al, 2011). This study also demonstrated the persistence of PW1 expression in adult skeletal muscle satellite and interstitial cells (PICs), although the cell fate potential of these adult interstitial cells remained unaddressed (Besson et al, 2011).…”