Blood Sampling and Hormone Measurement for Determining the Stage in the Ovarian Cycle in Marmosets

We are working on two main aspects. First, we aim to understand male germ cells in primates, including humans. We are focusing on spermatogonial stem cells and the establishment of DNA methylation.

Second, we aim to develop new techniques for making genetically modified marmosets. The generation of genetically modified marmosets requires a lot of effort. One of the challenges is developing more efficient method for making genetically modified marmosets.

Our blood sampling protocol makes it easier to find veins and reduce the risk of drawing blood from arteries. Moreover, our protocol also measures three types of hormones and bring more accurate prediction and determination of ovulation date. We are now developing a technique for making sperm from iPS cells in marmosets.

This technique will contribute to the study of germ cells and the generation of genetically modified marmosets.