title: On the fate of primordial germ cells injected into early mouse embryos.
abstract: Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the founder cells of the germline. Via gametogenesis and fertilisation this lineage generates a new embryo in the next generation. PGCs are also the cell of origin of multilineage teratocarcinomas. In vitro, mouse PGCs can give rise to embryonic germ (EG) cells - pluripotent stem cells that can contribute to primary chimaeras when introduced into pre-implantation embryos. Thus, PGCs can give rise to pluripotent cells in the course of the developmental cycle, during teratocarcinogenesis and by in vitro culture. However, there is no evidence that PGCs can differentiate directly into somatic cell types. Furthermore, it is generally assumed that PGCs do not contribute to chimaeras following injection into the early mouse embryo. However, these data have never been formally published. Here, we present the primary data from the original PGC-injection experiments performed 40 years ago, alongside results from more recent studies in three separate laboratories. These results have informed and influenced current models of the relationship between pluripotency and the germline cycle. Current technologies allow further experiments to confirm and expand upon these findings and allow definitive conclusions as to the developmental potency of PGCs.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. Electronic address: hgl21@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Harry G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Leitch
authors.affiliation: Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Daiji
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Durcova-Hills
authors.affiliation: Developmental and Regenerative Biology, Institute of Medical Biology, 138648 Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Colin L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of York, Heslington, York, UK.
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.affiliation: Cell Resource Center for Biomedical Research, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Matsui
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Development, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. Electronic address: vep1@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Virginia E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Papaioannou
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019070:Cell Lineage; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology*; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy
keywords: Germline; Pluripotency; Primordial germ cells