Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
Curr Top Dev Biol. 2013;104:149-87. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-416027-9.00005-X.
Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the embryonic precursors of the gametes and represent the founder cells of the germline. Specification of PGCs is a critical divergent point during embryogenesis. Whereas the somatic lineages will ultimately perish, cells of the germline have the potential to form a new individual and hence progress to the next generation. It is therefore critical that the genome emerges intact and carrying the appropriate epigenetic information during its passage through the germline. To ensure this fidelity of transmission, PGC development encompasses extensive epigenetic reprogramming. The low cell numbers and relative inaccessibility of PGCs present a challenge to those seeking mechanistic understanding of the crucial developmental and epigenetic processes in this most fascinating of lineages. Here, we present an overview of PGC development in the mouse and compare this with the limited information available for other mammalian species. We believe that a comparative approach will be increasingly important to uncover the extent to which mechanisms are conserved and reveal the critical steps during PGC development in humans.
原始生殖细胞（PGCs）是配子的胚胎前体，代表生殖系的创始细胞。PGCs 的特化是胚胎发生过程中的一个关键分歧点。虽然体细胞谱系最终会消亡，但生殖系的细胞有可能形成一个新个体，从而进入下一代。因此，在通过生殖系时，基因组完整且携带适当的表观遗传信息是至关重要的。为了确保这种传递的保真度，PGC 发育包含广泛的表观遗传重编程。PGCs 的细胞数量少，相对难以接近，这给那些试图深入了解这一最迷人谱系中关键发育和表观遗传过程的人带来了挑战。在这里，我们概述了小鼠 PGC 的发育，并将其与其他哺乳动物物种的有限信息进行了比较。我们相信，比较方法对于揭示机制的保守程度以及揭示人类 PGC 发育的关键步骤将变得越来越重要。
