Isolation and Culture of Human Embryonic Germ Cells and Their Biological Characteristics

摘要

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) , which are the embryonic precursors of gametes or the progenitor cells which produce sperms and eggs at later stages of development. Embryonic germ (EG) cells are pluripotent cells derived from the primordial germ cells of gonads, gonadal ridges and mesenteries, and analogies of foetuses', with the ability to undergo both self-renewal and multiple differentiation. These cells can differentiate into derivatives of all three embryonic germ layers when transferred to an in vitro environment and have the ability to form any fully differentiated cell of the body. Human embryonic germ cells grow highly like mouse embryonic stem or EG cells in appropriate environment. Great progress has been achieved in the isolation and culture of mouse EG cells at present. But there are little information about development and differentiation of human germ cells, specific markers during human embryo gestation, specific factors that infuencing isolation and culture , and the using of serum-free culture for human EG cells , specific differentiation of human EG cells. In present study, PGCs have already been isolated and cultured. In order to establish a human embryonic germ cell line and investigate its specific differntiation, human cardiac α-actin promoter driving pEGFP-N1 was transfected into human EG cells so as to improve and purify cardiomyocytes derived from human EG cells.