Migratory ability of chick primordial germ cells transferred into quail embryos.

The migratory ability of chick primordial germ cells (PGCs) transferred into quail embryos was investigated. One, ten, twenty, fifty or one hundred chick PGCs were transferred into the dorsal aorta of 2.5-day-old quail embryos. One day later, the embryos were isolated, and serial sections were prepared after embedding in paraffin. The sections were then double-stained with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and hematoxylin, and the numbers of PAS-positive chick PGCs in the germinal epithelium, gonadal area, head area and trunk area of the embryos were determined. Approximately 70% of the PGCs were detected in the embryos 1 day after transfer, with roughly 60% in the gonadal region and 10% in the extragonadal region. This ratio was consistent regardless of the number of PGCs transferred into the embryos. These data suggest that migration of chick PGCs into the gonadal and extragonadal regions of the quail embryo occurs probabilistically regardless of the number of chick PGCs transferred into quail embryos.