Metabolomic and Proteomic Analyses of Mouse Primordial Germ Cells.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs), the precursors of gametes, are the only cells capable of acquiring totipotency upon fertilization, but the molecular mechanisms regulating germ cell characteristics have not been fully elucidated. Although intracellular metabolic status and regulation are responsible for the control of cell function and differentiation, little is known about the metabolic features of PGCs. Here, we describe use of an integrated metabolomic, proteomic, and energy metabolic analysis method to comprehensively elucidate the metabolic characteristics of PGCs using mass spectrometry.