Primordial Germ Cells
Primordial Germ Cells - Related Videos
05:34
Primordial Germ Cell Transplantation for CRISPR/Cas9-based Leapfrogging in Xenopus
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Cited by 4 •
2018
Genes essential for survival pose technical hurdles for creating mutant lines. Leapfrogging circumvents lethality by combining genome editing with primordial germ cell transplantation to create wild-type animals carrying germline mutations. Leapfrogging also permits the efficient generation of homozygous null mutants in the F1 generation. Here, the transplantation step is demonstrated.
06:22
Primordial Germ Cell Cryopreservation and Revival of Drosophila Strains
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Cited by 7 •
2023
A long-term preservation method for Drosophila strains as an alternative to the frequent transfer of adult flies to fresh food vials is highly desirable. This protocol describes the cryopreservation of Drosophila primordial germ cells and strain revival via their transplantation to agametic host embryos.
02:59
Cell Fate Reprogramming of Nematode Germ Cells into Neurons
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2025
This video demonstrates cell fate reprogramming of nematode germ cells into neurons. Transgenic larvae of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans are subjected to RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down a specific chromatin-regulating factor, making the germ cells of their progeny more susceptible to cell fate reprogramming. Heat shock is applied to the progeny, inducing the germ cells to express a neuron-specific transcription factor that triggers their transformation into neurons, which is...
12:06
Generation of Human Primordial Germ Cell-like Cells at the Surface of Embryoid Bodies from Primed-pluripotency Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
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Cited by 9 •
2019
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are common precursors of both sperm and eggs. Human embryonic PGCs are specified from pluripotent epiblast cells through interactions of cytokines. Here, we describe a 13-day protocol of inducing human cells transcriptomally resembling PGCs at the surface of embryoid bodies from primed-pluripotency induced pluripotent stem cells.
10:41
Germ Cell Transplantation and Testis Tissue Xenografting in Mice
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Cited by 16 •
2012
Protocols for germ cell transplantation and testis tissue xenografting are described. Germ cell transplantation results in donor-derived spermatogenesis in recipient testes and represents a functional reconstitution assay for identification of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Testis tissue xenografting reproduces testis development and spermatogenesis of various donor species in recipient mice.
FAQs
Timing and lineage coordination are central to PGC development. Cells are specified early, then migrate while the embryo is forming, proliferate, and reach the developing gonads before contributing to gamete formation. This sequence connects early embryonic events with later reproductive capacity, making disruptions relevant to fertility and developmental disease research.
Epigenetic reprogramming gives PGCs a distinctive research value: their genomes undergo broad resetting during germline development. Studying this process helps reveal how developmental cells are prepared for gamete formation and how abnormal resetting might relate to fertility problems or developmental disorders. The focus is on changes in genome regulation, not only DNA sequence.
PGC development spans more than cell multiplication. After specification and migration, the cells proliferate and later contribute to meiosis, the division associated with gamete formation. Examining these transitions helps distinguish early germline establishment from later reproductive-cell development and clarifies how embryonic biology connects to the production of sperm and eggs.
Experimental models can be used to examine several linked stages rather than a single endpoint: germline specification, migration to forming gonads, proliferation, epigenetic resetting, and contribution to meiosis. This makes them useful for connecting cellular behavior with reproductive outcomes. Their value lies in isolating developmental processes that are difficult to study as one continuous sequence.
Stem-cell systems containing PGC-like cells provide an experimental route for investigating germline biology in a controlled setting. They support studies of specification, epigenetic reprogramming, and progression toward gamete-related development. Such systems are especially relevant to research on inherited disease and to exploring possible reproductive or regenerative biology applications.
PGC-like cell systems are used to investigate inherited disease in relation to germline biology. Researchers can examine how early germline specification and epigenetic resetting intersect with the transmission of genetic information. This application broadens PGC research beyond normal development, linking embryonic cell states to questions about disease across generations.
PGC-like cells also inform the prospects of reproductive and regenerative biology research. Their developmental program offers a system for considering how germline-related cells might be studied in broader biological contexts. The significance lies in research potential, including questions about fertility, gamete development, and the biological transmission of information across generations.