Abstract
Specification of mouse primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of sperm and eggs,
involves three major molecular events: repression of the somatic program, reacquisition
of pluripotency, and reprogramming to a unique epigenetic ground state. Gene knockout
studies in mouse models, along with global transcriptome analyses, have revealed the
key signaling pathways and transcription factors essential for PGC specification.
Knowledge obtained from these studies has been utilized extensively to develop robust
in vitro PGC induction models not only in mice but also in humans. These models have,
in turn, formed the basis for a detailed understanding of the signaling pathways and
epigenetic dynamics during in vivo PGC specification and development. Recapitulation
of human PGC specification in culture is of tremendous significance for understanding
the mechanisms of human germ cell development in normal and disease states and has
implications for addressing germ-cell–based causes of infertility.
Keywords
primordial germ cells - germ cell specification - pluripotent stem cells - epigenetic
reprogramming
