TY  - JOUR
TI  - The problem of the origin of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in vertebrates: historical review and a possible solution
AU  - Pilato, Giovanni
AU  - Pilato, Giovanni
AU  - D'Urso, Vera
AU  - Viglianisi, Fabio
AU  - Sammartano, Francesca
AU  - Sabella, Giorgio
AU  - Lisi, Oscar
T2  - The International Journal of Developmental Biology
AB  - A concise review of the articles about the origin of primordial germ cells (PGCs) in vertebrates is provided. Differences among various taxa concerning the origin of PGCs, not easily understandable on the base of traditional knowledge, are pointed out. All those differences can be explained taking into consideration the recent “theory of the endoderm as secondary layer”. That theory allows us to understand that those differences are only apparent, being related to modifications of stages of the consequent embryogeny, overall, to a different amount of yolk in the egg. Eggs very rich in yolk became meroblastic, and the portion of primordial ectomesenchyme destined to give rise to a part of the mesoderm and the PGCs separates early from the part destined to give rise to the rest of the mesoderm and to the digestive endoderm in order to form the vitelline hypoblast lamina. To this lamina, in contrast to the traditional interpretation, a mesodermal, not endodermal, origin must be attributed. With the misunderstanding regarding the origin of this lamina clarified, all the differences about the origin of PGCs disappears. Furthermore, in taxa where PGCs were considered to be of endodermal origin, they too have a mesodermal origin. Considering that a mesodermal origin of PGCs has been demonstrated in all sponges and cnidarians, as well, a unique, mesodermal origin of germinal cells in all pluricellular animals results. 
PY  - 2013
DO  - 10.1387/ijdb.120261gp
VL  - 57
IS  - 11-12
SP  - 809
EP  - 819
J2  - Int. J. Dev. Biol.
LA  - en
SN  - 0214-6282
SN  - 1696-3547
UR  - https://ijdb.ehu.eus/article/120261gp
Y2  - 2024/11/05/13:18:28
ER  -