Continuation of mammalian species requires the formation and development of the sexually dimorphic germ cells. Cultured embryonic stem cells are generally considered pluripotent rather than totipotent because of the failure to detect germline cells under differentiating conditions. Here we show that mouse embryonic stem cells in culture can develop into oogonia that enter meiosis, recruit adjac...

The derivation of germ-line competent avian primordial germ cells establishes a cell-based model system for the investigation of germ cell differentiation and the production of genetically modified animals. Current methods to modify primordial germ cells using DNA or retroviral vectors are inefficient and prone to epigenetic silencing. Here, we validate the use of transposable elements for the ...

Division of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) into 2 subsets, with and without mutations of the IgVH genes, has important prognostic significance. The unmutated subset, with an inferior prognosis, was originally defined by 98% or more homology to the germ-line sequence based on the observation that polymorphisms may lead to 2% difference in the DNA sequence of alleles within the immunoglobulin...

Development of the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva serves as a paradigm for intercellular signaling during animal development. In wild-type animals, the somatic gonadal anchor cell generates the LIN-3/EGF ligand to induce vulval fates in the underlying hypodermis, whereas FBF, FOG-1, and FOG-3 control germ-line development. Here we report that FBF functions redundantly with FOG-1 and FOG-3 to cont...

HE frequently used sex-linked recessive lethal test based on observing the Tprogeny of the F, I, yeneration provides an objective and sensitive test for F, females having germ lines complete for a lethal mutation on their paternal X chromosome, and applied to the F, generation provides an objective test for F, females with germ lines mosaic for a lethal on their paternal X chromosome. If a muta...

Individuals with various intersex states who carry Y-chromosome material bear a high risk of developing testicular neoplasia. In order to gain more insight into the pathogenesis of this neoplasia, the current study evaluates the differentiation of the seminiferous epithelium in 46,XY dysgenetic male pseudohermaphroditism. Immunohistochemical evaluation was performed using the germ cell-specific...