On the origin of the human germline.
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Publication Date
2018-07-23Journal Title
Development
ISSN
0950-1991
Publisher
The Company of Biologists
Volume
145
Issue
16
Language
eng
Type
Article
This Version
NA
Physical Medium
Electronic
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Kobayashi, T., & Surani, M. A. (2018). On the origin of the human germline.. Development, 145 (16) https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.150433
Abstract
In mice, primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of eggs and sperm, originate from pregastrulation postimplantation embryos. By contrast, the origin of human PGCs (hPGCs) has been less clear and has been difficult to study because of the technical and ethical constraints that limit direct studies on human embryos. In recent years, however, in vitro simulation models using human pluripotent stem cells, together with surrogate non-rodent mammalian embryos, have provided insights and experimental approaches to address this issue. Here, we review these studies, which suggest that the posterior epiblast and/or the nascent amnion in pregastrulation human embryos is a likely source of hPGCs, and that a different gene regulatory network controls PGCs in humans compared with in the mouse. Such studies on the origins and mechanisms of hPGC specification prompt further consideration of the somatic cell fate decisions that occur during early human development.
Keywords
Amnion, Epiblast, Epigenetic resetting, Gastrulation, Human development, Primordial germ cells, Signalling, Transcription factors, Animals, Cell Differentiation, Embryo, Mammalian, Embryonic Development, Embryonic Stem Cells, Epigenesis, Genetic, Gene Regulatory Networks, Germ Cells, Germ Layers, Human Embryonic Stem Cells, Humans, Mice, Pluripotent Stem Cells
Sponsorship
Wellcome Trust (096738/Z/11/Z)
Medical Research Council (MR/P009948/1)
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.150433
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/284494
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http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
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