How Primordial Germ Cells Destroy Somatic Signals

Functional Concentrations of BMP4 on Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells to Primordial Germ Cells

Primordial germ cells in mice.

Germ cell development creates totipotency through genetic as well as epigenetic regulation of the genome function. Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the first germ cell population established during development and are immediate precursors for both the oocytes and spermatogonia. We here summarize recent findings regarding the mechanism of PGC development in mice. We focus on the transcriptional ...

How to make a primordial germ cell.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the precursors of sperm and eggs, which generate a new organism that is capable of creating endless new generations through germ cells. PGCs are specified during early mammalian postimplantation development, and are uniquely programmed for transmission of genetic and epigenetic information to subsequent generations. In this Primer, we summarise the establishment...

Genomic imprinting and cancer: from primordial germ cells to somatic cells.

Imprinted genes are a subset of genes that are expressed from only one of the parental alleles. The majority of imprinted genes have roles in growth regulation and are, therefore, potential oncogenes or tumour suppressors. Cancer is a disease of aberrant cell growth and is characterised by genetic mutations and epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation. The mechanisms whereby imprinting is mai...

Discrete somatic niches coordinate proliferation and migration of primordial germ cells via Wnt signaling

Inheritance depends on the expansion of a small number of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in the early embryo. Proliferation of mammalian PGCs is concurrent with their movement through changing microenvironments; however, mechanisms coordinating these conflicting processes remain unclear. Here, we find that PGC proliferation varies by location rather than embryonic age. Ror2 and Wnt5a mutants with...