SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A LONG-TERM CULTURE OF AVIAN PRIMORDIAL GERM CELLS AND USES THEREOF

摘要

The present invention provides a system and method for establishing a long-term culture of avian primordial germ cells and uses thereof. The invention is particularly useful to isolate and cultivate primordial germ cells from an early stage of avian embryos. In particular, the present invention provides a method for establishing a long-term culture of avian primordial germ cells, wherein the primordial germ cells are derived from germinal crescent tissue isolated from an avian embryo at stage 4 to 11, preferably at stage 4 to 10, more preferably at stage 6 to 10, even more preferably at stage 7 to 10. Accordingly, the present invention also provides a respective cell culture and cell line of avian primordial germ cells. The cultured avian primordial germ cells can be used for example to preserve the genetic diversity of avian species or as a targeting vehicle cell for genetic modification for disease resistance or other purposes, and to provide an interspecies or intraspecies germline chimera, e.g. for the purpose of propagation of endangered species in captive breeding programmes. Thus, the avian primordial germ cells can be genetically modified. Furthermore, the present invention also provides a method for maintaining a culture of avian primordial germ cells, as well as a germline chimera and a method for obtaining a germline chimera.