Nanos Homolog 3 (NANOS3)

Nanos3 contains a zinc finger motif. Nanos3 was expressed in male mouse gonads, in primordial germ cells (PGCs), in bipotential gonads at embryonic day (E) 11.5, and in female gonads at E12.5.Tsuda et al. (2003) found that Nanos3-null mice were viable and showed no apparent abnormalities, but the size of ovaries and testes in Nanos3-null mice was greatly reduced. Morphologic examination revealed only a few germ cells in the E12.5 genital ridge, and none were found in adult gonads. The specification and derivation of PGCs appeared normal, but PGCs were not subsequently maintained during migration. Apoptosis did not appear to cause the depletion of PGCs in Nanos3-null embryos.