title: Of Mice and Men: In Vivo and In Vitro Studies of Primordial Germ Cell Specification.
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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Deepti Lava
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: DeFalco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D065150:Cellular Reprogramming; D019175:DNA Methylation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010641:Phenotype; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors