Embryonic germ cells articles from across Nature Portfolio

This protocol describes an efficient method to reconstitute the onset of gametogenesis by co-culturing resetting hPGCLCs with human hindgut organoids, providing a new framework to clarify the physiological and pathological crosstalk between hPGCs and the hindgut.

Derivation of human primordial germ cell-like cells (hPGCLCs) is critical for reproductive medicine. Here, authors report the induction of hPGCLCs in a bioengineered human pluripotent stem cell culture that mimics peri-implantation human development.

Authentic hypoblast cells created from naive human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) spontaneously assemble with naive hPSCs to form a three-dimensional bilaminar structure (bilaminoids) with a pro-amniotic-like cavity.

Irie, Lee et al. report a role for DMRT1 in human germline development and show that induction of DMRT1 in primordial germ cell-like cells triggers germline commitment, but suppresses pluripotency genes, thus promoting the onset of gametogenesis.

Generation of primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) from human pluripotent cells (hPSCs) offers insight into the mechanisms underlying human reproduction, but often requires complex methods. Here they describe a simplified monolayer protocol to differentiate and purify PGCLCs for further analysis.

This study describes the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic reprogramming in primordial germ cells.

Elucidating regulation of mitochondrial mRNA translation will improve our understanding of mitochondrial function during homeostasis and disease. Ribonuclease EXD2 is now shown to be important for mitochondrial translation and oxidative phosphorylation, and its loss enhances ROS production, slows development and extends lifespan in flies.

Discussion and regulation of genetic alterations in human germ cells and embryos is urgently needed.

The Polycomb protein Enhancer of zeste (E(z)) functions non-cell autonomously to maintain germ cell identity inDrosophila melanogaster.