The State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences,1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, P.R.China

The gonad in mammal is comprised with two major cell types, germ cells and somatic cells. The primordial germ cells come from the extraembryonic ectoderm during early stage of embryonic development, whereas the somatic cells come from genital ridge. The sex determination in mammals is complicated process which is dependent on the differentiation of genital ridge somatic cells. In XX gonads, the somatic cells differentiate into granulosa cells and germ cells initiate meiosis right after sex commitment. By contrast, the somatic cells in XY gonads are developed into Sertoli cells and the germ cells will not start meiosis until after birth. The differentiation of genital ridge somatic cells is genetically regulated and many factors are involved in this process. Aberrant differentiation of gonad somatic cells will cause germ cell tumor, abnormal gonad development, and sex reversal. The research works in our group mainly focus on the regulation of somatic differentiation during sex determination and the interaction between germ cells and somatic cells in germ cell fate determination.

• The regulation of supporting cells and steroidogenic cells during sex determination
• The regulation of germ cell meiosis initiation.

• National Natural Science Funds for Distinguished Young Scholar: “The regulation of gametogenesis and related reproductive diseases”, (81525011), 2016-2020
• The major research plan: “The regulation of germ cell formation and differentiation”（2013CB945001），2013-2017
• The major research plan: explore the key molecular in gamatogensis using animal models. （ 2007CB947502），2007-2011
• CAS Innovation Project：The functions of Wt1 gene in testis development and spermatogenesis. （KSCX2-YW-R-081）， 2007-2010

1. Zhang L, Chen M, Wen Q, Li Y, Wang Y, Wang Y, Qin Y, Cui X, Yang L, Huff V, *Gao F. Reprogramming of Sertoli cells to fetal-like Leydig cells by Wt1 ablation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015;112(13):4003-8.
2. Wang Y, Zhu T, Li Q, Liu C, Han F, Chen M, Zhang L, Cui X, Qin Y, Bao S, *Gao F. Prmt5 is required for germ cell survival during spermatogenesis in mice. Scientific Reports. 2015; 5:11031.
3. Chen M, Wang XN, Wang YB, Zhang LJ, Xu BY, Lv LM, Cui XH, Li W*, Gao F*. Wt1 is involved in Leydig cell steroid hormone biosynthesis by regulating paracrine factors expression. Biology of Reproduction.2014 Apr 3;90(4):71.
4. Gao F*§, Zhang J§, Wang XN, Yang JL, Chen DH, Huff V, Liu YX*. Wt1 functions in ovarian follicle development by regulating granulosa cell differentiation. Human Molecular Genetics. 2014, Jan 15;23(2):333-41.
5. Wang XN, Li Z, Ren Y, Jiang T, Wang YQ, Chen M, Zhang J2, Hao JX, Wang YB, Sha RN, Huang Y, Liu X, Hu JC, Sun GQ, Li HG, Xiong CL, Xie J, Jiang ZM, Cai ZM, Wang J, Wang J, Huff V*, Gui YT*, Gao F*.  The Wilms Tumor Gene, Wt1, Is Critical for Mouse Spermatogenesis via Regulation of Sertoli Cell Polarity and Is Associated with Non-Obstructive Azoospermia in Humans. PLoS Genetics. 2013, Volume 9, Issue 8, e1003645.
6. Chen SR., Chen M., Wang XN., Zhang J., Wen Q., Ji SY., Zheng QS., Gao F*., Liu YX*. (2013) Thewilms tumor gene, wt1, maintains testicular cord integrity by regulating the expression of col4a1 and col4a2. BiolReprod. 88(3): 56. (*Co-corresponding author)
7. Chen SR., Zheng QS., Zhang Y., Gao F*., Liu YX*. (2013) Disruption of genital ridge development causes aberrant primordial germ cell proliferation but does not affect their directional migration. BMC Biol. 11(1): 22. (*Co-corresponding author)
8. Ji SY., Hao JX., Li L., Zhang J., Zheng QS., Li XX., Wang XN., Han CS., Gao F*., Liu YX*. (2013) Expression of inhibin-alpha is regulated synergistically by wilms' tumor gene 1 (wt1) and steroidogenic factor-1 (sf1) in sertoli cells. PLoS One. 8(1):e53140. (*Co-corresponding author)
9. Hu QH *., Gao F*., Tian WH., Ruteshouser C., Wang YQ., Lazar A., Stewart J., Strong LC., Behringer RR., and Huff V. (2011) Wt1 Ablation and Igf2-Up-regulation in Mice Result in Wilms Tumors with Activated pERK1/2. Journal of Clinical Investigation. 121(1): 174–183 (*Equal contribution)
10. Zhang CP., Yang JL., Zhang J., Li L., Huang L., Ji SY., Hu ZY., Gao F*., Liu YX*. (2011) Notch Signaling Is Involved in Ovarian Follicle Development by Regulating Granulosa Cell Proliferation. Endocrinology, 152 (6): 2437. (*Co-corresponding author)
11. Yang JL., Zhang CP., Li L., Huang L., Ji SY., Lu CL., Fan CH., Cai H., Ren Y., Hu ZY., Gao F*., Liu YX*. (2010) Testosterone Induces Redistribution of Forkhead Box-3a and Down-Regulation of Growth and Differentiation Factor 9 Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Expression at Early Stage of Mouse Folliculogenesis.Endocrinology.151(2):774-82. (*Co-corresponding author)
12. Chang H*., Gao F*., Guillou F., Taketo MM., Huff V., Behringer RR. (2008) Wt1 negatively regulates (beta)-Catenin Signaling during testis development. Development. 135(10):1875-1885. (*Equal contribution)
13. Gao F., Maiti S., Alam N., Zhang Z., Deng JM., Behringer RR., Lécureuil C., Guillou F., Huff V. (2006) Wt1 is Required for Sox9 Expression and Normal Tubular Architecture in the Developing Testes. ProcNatlAcadSci U S A.103(32):11987-92
14. Gao F., Maiti S., Sun GZ., Huff V. (2004) Mouse WT1 missense mutation results in glomerulosclerosis characteristic of human Denys-Drash Syndrome. Molecular Cellular Biology. 24(22):9899-910
15. Gao F., Shi HY., Daughty C., Cella N., Zhang M. (2004) Maspin plays an essential role in early embryonic development. Development. 131:1479-1489