title: The role of exogenous fibroblast growth factor-2 on the reprogramming of primordial germ cells into pluripotent stem cells.
abstract: The germ cell lineage is a specified cell population that passes through a series of differentiation steps before giving rise, eventually, to either eggs or sperm. We have investigated the manner in which primordial germ cells (PGCs) are reprogrammed in vitro to form pluripotent stem cells in response to exogenous fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2). The response is dependent on time of exposure and concentration of FGF-2. PGCs isolated in culture show a motile phenotype and lose any expression of a characteristic germ cell marker, mouse vasa homolog. Subsequently, some but not all of the cells show further changes of phenotype, accompanied by changes in expression of endogenous FGF-2 and up-regulation of its receptor, fibroblast growth factor receptor-3, in the nucleus. We propose that it is from this reprogrammed component of the now heterogeneous PGC population that pluripotent stem cells arise.
authors.affiliation: The Wellcome Trust/Cancer United Kingdom Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, Cambridge.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Durcova-Hills
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Sheila C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Barton
authors.forename: M Azim
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Surani
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McLaren
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D005260:Female; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051498:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; C496349:Fgfr1 protein, mouse; C496366:Fgfr3 protein, mouse; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1; D051498:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 3