Generation of germ cells from pluripotent stem cells in mammals

BACKGROUND: The germ cell lineage transmits genetic and epigenetic information to the next generation. Primordial germ cells (PGCs), the early embryonic precursors of sperm or eggs, have been studied extensively. Recently, in vitro models of PGC induction have been established in the mouse. Many attempts are reported to enhance our understanding of PGC development in other mammals, including human. METHODS: Here, original and review articles that have been published on PubMed are reviewed in order to give an overview of the literature that is focused on PGC development, including the specification of in vivo and in vitro in mice, human, porcine, and bovine. RESULTS: Mammalian PGC development, in vivo and in vitro, have been studied primarily by using the mouse model as a template to study PGC specification in other mammals, including human, porcine, and bovine. CONCLUSION: The growing body of published works reveals similarities, as well as differences, in PGC establishment in and between mouse and human.