Abstract
PRIMORDIAL germ cells (PGCs) are first identifiable as a population of about eight alkaline phosphatase-positive cells in the 7.0 days postcoitum mouse embryo1. During the next 6 days of development they proliferate to give rise to the 25,000 cells that will establish the meiotic population2. Steel factor is required for PGC survival both in vivo3 and in vitro4,5 and together with leukaemia inhibitory factor stimulates PGC proliferation in vitro6. In feeder-dependent culture, PGCs will proliferate for up to 7 days, but their numbers eventually decline and their proliferative capacity is only a fraction of that seen in vivo6,7. Here we report a further factor that stimulates PGC proliferation in vitro, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Furthermore, bFGF, in the presence of steel factor and leukaemia inhibitory factor, stimulates long-term proliferation of PGCs, leading to the derivation of large colonies of cells. These embryonic germ cells resemble embryonic stem cells, pluripotent cells derived from preimplantation embryos, or feeder-dependent embryonal carcinoma cells, pluripotent stem cells of PGC-derived tumours (teratomas and teratocarcinomas)8. To our knowledge, these results provide the first system for long-term culture of PGCs.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ginsburg, M. et al. Development 108, 521–528 (1990).
Tarn, P. P. L. & Snow, M. H. L. J. Embryol. exp. Morph. 64, 133–147 (1981).
Bennett, D. J. Morph. 98, 199–233 (1956).
Dolci, S. et al. Nature 352, 809–811 (1991).
Godin, I. et al. Nature 352, 807–809 (1991).
Matsui, Y. et al. Nature 353, 750–752 (1991).
Donovan, P. J. et al. Cell 44, 831–838 (1986).
Stevens, L. C. J. Natn. Cancer Inst. 38, 549–552 (1967).
Rathjen, P. D. et al. Cell 62, 1105–1114 (1990).
Koopman, P. & Cotton, R. G. Expl Cell Res. 154, 233–242 (1984).
Rathjen, P. D. et al. Genes. Dev. 4, 2308–2318 (1990).
Stevens, L. C. & Mackenson, J. A. J. Natn. Cancer Inst. 27, 443–453 (1961).
Fox, N. et al. Devl Biol. 83, 391–398 (1981).
Martin, G. R. & Lock, L. F. in Teratocarcinoma Stem Cells (eds Silver, L. M., Martin, G. R. and Strickland, S.) 635–646 (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, 1983).
Todaro, A. J. & Green, H. J. Cell Biol. 17, 299–313 (1963).
Masui, Y., Zsebo, K. & Hogan, B. L. M. Cell 70, 841–847 (1992).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Resnick, J., Bixler, L., Cheng, L. et al. Long-term proliferation of mouse primordial germ cells in culture. Nature 359, 550–551 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/359550a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/359550a0
This article is cited by
-
Loss of Dead end1 induces testicular teratomas from primordial germ cells that failed to undergo sexual differentiation in embryonic testes
Scientific Reports (2023)
-
Alu retrotransposons modulate Nanog expression through dynamic changes in regional chromatin conformation via aryl hydrocarbon receptor
Epigenetics & Chromatin (2020)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.