生殖腺に対するモノクローナル抗体の作製とその性状解析

Abstract

In a mouse, the genital ridge develops around embryonic day (E) 9.5 on the ventral surface of the mesonephros. The genital ridge is identified morphologically around E10.5. At E11.5 to E12.5, the adrenogonadal primordium on the genital ridge separates into the adrenal cortex and the gonad cell populations. However, the precise mechanism of the development is largely unknown. In this study, we report on the production and characterization of a series of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against gonad. The antibody, designated as MAb 5B5, yielded the strong signal on germ cells in immunofluorescence staining using the mouse embryo gonad section. Moreover, immunofluorescence analysis using E12.5 mouse various tissue sections revealed that MAb 5B5 also recognizes the cells in neural tube, ventricular zone of cerebral cortex, a part of the epithelial cells, in which tissue-specific stem cells are present abundantly. Furthermore, MAb 5B5 recognized the mouse and human ES and iPS cells. From these findings, it was concluded that MAb 5B5 recognizes stem cells-associated antigen. On the other hand, we found that this antigen expresses cancer cell lines and human tumor tissue. These results suggest that MAb 5B5 may recognize cancer stem cells.