Single-cell qPCR analysis of pluripotency in rabbit embryos

Abstract

International audienceIn the rabbit, many attempts have been made to reprogram pluripotent stem cells (PSC) to the naïve state, but none of the conditions tested could lead the naïve state as defined in the mouse. These previous studies also highlighted differences in the molecular signature of the naïve and primed pluripotency states between rabbit vs. mouse. In order to address these differences and identify new markers of naïve and primed pluripotency in rabbit, it is necessary to characterize in more details the transcriptome of the pluripotent cells in vivo, i.e. in the rabbit embryo. We, therefore, performed a Biomark qPCR single-cell analysis of rabbit embryos around the time of lineage segregation, from the morula stage to the early gastrulating stage. We identified a transcriptomic continuum of pluripotency in vivo specific to the rabbit, although we observed many similarities to the mouse. These results will allow us to judge the state of pluripotency of rabbit PSC we will derive in vitro, as compared to the embryo, and to find new targets to reprogram them towards the naïve state