Review of the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells into primordial germ cells

Abstract

Primordial germ cells (PGCs), which are the precursors of mammalian eggs and sperm, are essential for early development of the reproductive system. The gametogenic disorder is a great challenge for assisted reproductive technology. Due to ethical and technical limitations, the origin and specialization mechanisms of PGCs in human embryos remain unclear. Differentiation of the primordial germ cell like cells (PGCLCs) in vitro and further study of mechanisms of their development become possible, with the establishment and improvement of the in vitro culture technology for pluripotent stem cells, which also bring hope for the clinical treatment of the gametogenic disorders. The in vivo development of PGCs, the differentiation process of pluripotent stem cells into PGCLCs in vitro, the main differentiation methods and specific markers of PGCLCs will be reviewed in this paper. Key words: Primordial germ cells; Embryonic stem cells; Induced pluripotent stem cells; Primordial germ cell like cells