title: The role of interleukin-4 in the regulation of mouse primordial germ cell numbers.
abstract: Interleukin-4 (IL-4), a pleiotropic cytokine, stimulates a dose-dependent increase in the number of mouse primordial germ cells in culture. Results from bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assays suggest that IL-4 acts as a survival factor rather than as a mitogen for primordial germ cells in this system. Studies on the embryonic expression patterns of IL-4 and its receptors, using RT-PCR and ELISA, show that IL-4 and its receptors are present at the correct time and place to influence PGC numbers in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome/CRC Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cooke
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heasman
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wylie
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002470:Cell Survival; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015847:Interleukin-4