a novel in vitro co-culture systems on differentiation of embryonic stem cells into oocyte-like cells in an in vivo manner

Differentiation of embryonic stem cells into oocyte-like cells in vitro is challenging. successful derivation of oocyte from stem cells can provide an alternative source for curing ovogenesis problems. the current study aims to demonstrate a new protocol with two different types of media for differentiating embryonic stem cells (escs) into oocyte-like cells (olcs). after culturing mouse escs, embryoid bodies (ebs) were generated from escs by hanging drop (hd) method. to final differentiation of oocyte-like cells (olcs), the ebs were cultured in two different types of media for 12 days (first 7 days ebs were cultured in in vitro maturation diluted in granulose cell- conditioned medium and follicular fluid [1:1:1] followed by 5 days of culture in in vitro maturation diluted in uterine condition medium [1:1] ). according to the mtt test, the viability rate increased in the experimental group compared to the control ebs cultured alone. expression of oct4, as a pluripotency marker, decreased during the differentiation process of ebs in the experimental group. co-culturing of ebs with our mentioned protocol increased germ cell markers (stella and mvh) and increased oocyte-specific markers (zp1, figα and gdf9). our study introduces a promising in vitro protocol for achieving successful oogenesis through creating interactions of ebs with granulosa cells and uterine condition medium.