Primordial Germ Cell Technologies for Avian Germplasm Cryopreservation and Investigating Germ Cell Development

Abstract

The germ cell lineage is unique as it the cell lineage that ensures the continuation and the variation of genetic information from one generation to the next. Primordial germ cells are the stem cell precursors of this lineage differentiating into mature spermatozoa and oocytes in the adult. The recent development of cell culture conditions for the extended propagation of chicken primordial germ cells isolated from embryonic blood heralds the emergence of a technology that will have a considerable impact on the management of avian resources, efforts in avian species preservation and transgenic technologies. This review will address what is known of the formation of avian germ cells, the current state of the field, and discuss the prospects that this technology offers for both developmental biology and the preservation of avian germplasm.