.... The cis -acting localization signals that target mRNAs to polar granules and promote homotypic clustering remain largely uncharacterized. Here, we show that the polar granule component ( pgc ) and germ cell-less ( gcl ) 3′ untranslated regions contain complex localization signals comprising multiple...

... The authors declare no competing or financial interests. 22 6 2015 18 11 2015 © 2016. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd 2016 Highlighted article: Blimp-1, a master regulator of PGC formation in mice, acts downstream of BMPs to generate PGCs in the cricket, highlighting...

.... The ‘last cell standing’ model describes primordial germ cell (PGC) development in axolotls, in which PGCs are maintained by an extracellular signalling niche, and germ line commitment occurs after gastrulation. Here, we propose that this ‘stochastic’ mode of PGC specification is conserved in vertebrates...

...S. Zachary Swartz; Adrian M. Reich; Nathalie Oulhen; Tal Raz; Patrice M. Milos; Joseph P. Campanale; Amro Hamdoun; Gary M. Wessel A crucial event in animal development is the specification of primordial germ cells (PGCs), which become the stem cells that create sperm and eggs. How PGCs are created...

..., in Xenopus and zebrafish embryos primordial germ cells (PGCs) are specified by germ plasm that is inherited from the egg; in mice, Blimp1 expression in the epiblast mediates the commitment of cells to the germ line. How these disparate mechanisms of PGC specification evolved is unknown. Here, in order...

... is not known in any member of the phyla. Here we demonstrate that small micromeres (SMics), which are formed at the fifth cell division of the sea urchin embryo, illustrate many typical features of primordial germ cell (PGC) specification. SMics autonomously express germ line genes in isolated culture...

[email protected] ; [email protected] ) Competing interests statement The authors declare no competing financial interests. 11 5 2010 © 2010. 2010 EG cells PGC Pluripotent stem cell Rat Mouse Reprogramming Pluripotency can be defined as the ability at the single...

...Erika A. Bosman; Kirstie A. Lawson; Joke Debruyn; Lisette Beek; Annick Francis; Luc Schoonjans; Danny Huylebroeck; An Zwijsen Smad5 is an intracellular mediator of bone morphogenetic protein (Bmp)signalling. It is essential for primordial germ cell (PGC) development, for the development...

...Richard J. B. Francis; Cecilia W. Lo Connexin 43 knockout (Cx43α1KO) mice exhibit germ cell deficiency,but the underlying cause for the germ cell defect was unknown. Using an Oct4-GFP reporter transgene, we tracked the distribution and migration of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in the Cx43α1KO mouse...

...Uichi Koshimizu; Tetsuya Taga; Miho Watanabe; Mikiyoshi Saito; Yasuaki Shirayoshi; Tadamitsu Kishimoto; Norio Nakatsuji ABSTRACT Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a cytokine known to influence proliferation and/or survival of mouse primordial germ cells (PGC) in culture. The receptor complex...