Differentiation of human primordial germ cells (hPGCs) to mitotic spermatogonia and oogonia occurring through epigenetic reprogramming is a fundamental process of development. hPGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) have been successfully induced in vitro starting from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) but have low efficiency and are prone to de-differentiation.

In a paper published in Nature, the authors established a signalling-molecule-dependent system to differentiate hPGCLCs in vitro.