哺乳动物原始生殖细胞体内特化和体外培养

原始生殖细胞(primordial germ cells, PGCs)是胚胎中最先出现的生殖细胞。PGCs来源于上胚层，最早出现在后肠，随后向生殖嵴迁移。这一过程伴随一系列复杂的分子调控机制，以及DNA甲基化重编程和组蛋白修饰等表观遗传过程。PGCs经过不断的分裂、发育及分化，最终形成配子。为了更好地研究PGCs发育与分化的调控和表观遗传过程，体外培养的研究变得越来越重要。本文以小鼠和人为例，介绍了哺乳动物PGCs的特化过程、PGCs特化过程中的表观遗传过程和PGCs的体外培养研究进展。

In vivo Specification and in vitro Culture of Mammalian Primordial Germ Cells

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the first germ cells in embryos. PGCs from the epiblast first appear in the gastrula and then migrate to the genital ridge. This process is accompanied by a series of complex mechanism of molecular regulation and epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation reprogramming and histone modification. PGCs undergo continuous division, development and differentiation and eventually form gametes. The study of regulation of PGCs and the epigenetic processes in vitro culture is becoming more important. This review, taking mice and humans for example, discusses the processes of mammalian PGCs specification, epigenetic processes of PGCs specification and the culture of PGCs in vitro.