Primoridal germ cell specification: a context-dependent cellular differentiation event
Publication Date
2014-12-05Journal Title
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B
ISSN
0962-8436
Publisher
Royal Society Publishing
Volume
369
Number
20130543
Language
English
Type
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Günesdogan, U., Magnúsdóttir, E., & Surani, A. (2014). Primoridal germ cell specification: a context-dependent cellular differentiation event. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 369 (20130543)https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0543
Abstract
During embryonic development, the foundation of the germline is laid by
the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs) from the postimplantation
epiblast via BMP and WNT signalling. While the majority of epiblast cells
undergo differentiation towards somatic cell lineages, PGCs initiate a
unique cellular programme driven by the cooperation of the transcription
factors BLIMP1, PRDM14 and AP2g. These factors synergistically suppress
the ongoing somatic differentiation and drive the re-expression of pluripotency
and germ cell-specific genes accompanied by global epigenetic
changes. However, an unresolved question is how postimplantation epiblast
cells acquire the developmental competence for the PGC fate downstream of
BMP/WNT signalling. One emerging concept is that transcriptional enhancers
might play a central role in the establishment of developmental
competence and the execution of cell fate determination. Here, we discuss
recent advances on the specification and reprogramming of PGCs thereby
highlighting the concept of enhancer function.
Sponsorship
U.G. is supported by a Marie Curie Intra-European
fellowship. E.M. is supported by the Icelandic Research Fund.
M.A.S. is supported by the Wellcome Trust (WT096738).
Funder references
Wellcome Trust (092096/Z/10/Z)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2013.0543
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/246160
Rights
Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales
Licence URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/
Recommended or similar items
The following licence files are associated with this item: