Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Studies of germ cell development

We are interested in studying molecular mechanisms regulating germ cell development and meiotic cell cycle. For this purpose, we use various genetically modified mouse models to observe possible defects in germ cell development for understanding the underlining mechanisms.

Liu W., Chen J., Yang C., Lee C.K.F., Lee C.Y.L., Chiu C.N., Zhang Y., Duan Y., Liu K. and Yeung W.S.B., Expression of microRNA let-7 in cleavage embryos modulates cell fate determination and formation of mouse blastocysts, Biology of Reproduction. 2022.
Zhao Y., ZHANG Y., Liu D., Feng H., Wang X., Su J., Yao Y., Ng E.H.Y., Yeung W.S.B., Li R.H.W., Rodrigues-Wallberg K.A. and Liu K., Identification of curcumin as a novel potential drug for promoting the development of small ovarian follicles for infertility treatment, PNAS Nexus. 2022.
Wang T., Xiao Y., Hu Z., Gu J., Hua R., Hai Z., Chen X., Zhang J.V., Yu Z., Wu T., Yeung W.S.B., Liu K. and Guo C., MFN2 Deficiency Impairs Mitochondrial Functions and PPAR Pathway During Spermatogenesis and Meiosis in Mice, Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology. 2022, 10.
Chen J., Gao C., Luo M., Zheng C., Lin X., Ning Y., Ma L., He W., Xie D., Liu K., Hong K. and Han C., MicroRNA‐202 safeguards meiotic progression by preventing premature SEPARASE‐mediated REC8 cleavage, EMBO reports. 2022
Chen J., Liu W., Lee C.K.F., Liu K., Wong B.P.C. and Yeung W.S.B., Overexpression of Lin28a induces a primary ovarian insufficiency phenotype via facilitation of primordial follicle activation in mice, Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology. 2022, 539, 111460.

Cao D., Shi F., Guo C., Liu Y., Lin Z., Zhang J., Li R.H.W., Yao Y., Liu K., Ng E.H.Y., Yeung W.S.B. and Wang T., A pathogenic DMC1 frameshift mutation causes nonobstructive azoospermia but not primary ovarian insufficiency in humans, Molecular Human Reproduction. 2021, 27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/molehr/gaab058
Zhao Y., Feng H., ZHANG Y., Zhang J., Wang X., Liu D., Wang T., Li R.H.W., Ng E.H.Y., Yeung W.S.B., Rodriguez-Wallberg K.A. and Liu K., Current Understandings of Core Pathways for the Activation of Mammalian Primordial Follicles, Cells. 2021, 10, 1491. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10061491
Hao X., Anastácio A., Viñals-Ribé L., Santamaria Lacuesta A., Diakaki C., Alonso de Mena S., Liu K. and Rodriguez-Wallberg K.A., Follicle Rescue From Prepubertal Ovaries After Recent Treatment With Cyclophosphamide—An Experimental Culture System Using Mice to Achieve Mature Oocytes for Fertility Preservation, Frontiers in Oncology. 2021, 11. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.682470
Li M., ZHENG J., Li G., Lin Z., LI D., Liu D., Feng H., Cao D., Ng E.H.Y., Li R.H.W., Han C., Yeung W.S.B., Chow L.T., Wang H. and Liu K., The male germline-specific protein MAPS is indispensable for pachynema progression and fertility, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2021, 118, e2025421118. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2025421118

Palmer N., Talib S.Z.A., Singh P., Goh C.M.F., Liu K., Schimenti J.C., Kaldis P. and Zanders S., A novel function for CDK2 activity at meiotic crossover sites, PLOS Biology. 2020, 18, e3000903.
Li M. and Liu K., Protection of the shelterin complex is key for tethering telomeres to the nuclear envelope during meiotic prophase I, Biology of Reproduction.

Li M., Huang T., et A.L. and Liu K., The histone modification reader ZCWPW1 is required for meiosis prophase I in male but not in female mice, Science Advances. 2019, 5, eaax1101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax1101
Liu H.B./., et A.L., Li M., et A.L., Liu K. and Chen Z.J., SCRE serves as a unique synaptonemal complex fastener and is essential for progression of meiosis prophase I in mice, Nucleic Acid Research. US, 2019, 47, 5670. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkz226

Professor BSc (China), PhD (Sweden)
	L7-47, Laboratory Block, 21 Sassoon Road Pokfulam, Hong Kong
	(852)-2855-0947
	HKU Scholars Hub
	http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7519-3332