Optimized protocol to derive germline stem-cell-like cells from mouse pluripotent stem cells
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Updated: Sep 4, 2025

Derivation of Stem Cell Lines from Mouse Preimplantation Embryos
Published on: August 20, 2017
Yukiko Ishikura1, Hiroshi Ohta1, Masahiro Nagano1
1Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
Abstract:
Male germ-cell development comprises primordial germ-cell (PGC) development, spermatogonium differentiation, and ensuing spermatogenesis. We present a step-by-step protocol for differentiation of mouse pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) into germline stem-cell-like cells (GSCLCs) via PGC-like cell and spermatogonium-like cell intermediates. The differentiation protocol has higher fidelity than our previous protocol. Upon transplantation into testes in vivo or culture for testis transplants, GSCLCs robustly contribute to spermatogenesis, providing a paradigm for PSC-based reconstitution of mammalian male germ-cell development. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Ishikura et al. (2021).

