Mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells perpetuate in vitro the broad developmental potential of
naïve founder cells in the preimplantation embryo. ES cells self-renew relentlessly in culture …

One of the most important developing cell types in any biological system is the gamete
(sperm and egg). The transmission of phenotypes and optimally adapted physiology to …

During female germline development, oocytes become a highly specialized cell type and
form a maternal cytoplasmic store of crucial factors. Oocyte growth is triggered at the …

During ontogeny, proliferating cells become restricted in their fate through the combined
action of cell-type-specific transcription factors and ubiquitous epigenetic machinery, which …

Mammalian primordial germ cells (PGCs) are induced in the embryonic epiblast, before
migrating to the nascent gonads. In fish, frogs, and birds, the germline segregates even …

In multicellular organisms, germ cells carry the hereditary material from one generation to
the next. Developing germ cells are unipotent gamete precursors, and mature gametes are …

Germline development varies significantly across metazoans. However, mammalian
primordial germ cell (PGC) development has key conserved landmarks, including a critical …

Human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) are the first embryonic progenitors in the germ cell
lineage, yet the molecular mechanisms required for hPGC formation are not well …

The fate of future generations depends on a high-quality germ line. For a female to
successfully produce offspring, her oocytes must be successfully specified and their contents …

Poised (bivalent) chromatin is defined by the simultaneous presence of histone
modifications associated with both gene activation and repression. This epigenetic feature …