Manipulating primordial germ cells from chicken and other bird species

Embryonic germ cells are the lineage restricted precursors to the gametes of the adult animal. Embryonic germ cells from birds offer a cellular system for both the conservation and the genetic modification of avian species. Ongoing discoveries in germ cell self-renewal pathways are extending the number of bird species for which germ cells can be in vitro cultured. Parallelly, the improved development of surrogate host embryos to carry exogenous germ cells is fostering more efficient and 3R-supportive methods to regenerate avian species from this cellular material. The next decade should lead to exciting developments which will aid in both understanding germ cell biology and avian conservation efforts.