A culture of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) is disclosed. In the culture, more than 50% of the hPSCs are formative hPSCs and are capable of renewing. Uses thereof are also disclosed.

A method of differentiating a primordial germ cell into a primordial follicle in vitro includes culturing a primordial germ cell and a supporting cell adjacent to the primordial germ cell under a pressurized condition or a low oxygen concentration condition.

Provided is an isolated human naive pluripotent stem cell (PSC), wherein: (i) when the naive PSC is a female PSC, then said naive female PSC has two unmethylated alleles of an X-inactive specific transcript (XIST) gene; and (ii) when said naive PSC is a male PSC, then said naive male PSC has an unmethylated allele of said XIST gene. Also provided is a culture medium which comprises an ERK1/2 inhibitor, a GSK3beta inhibitor, a p38 inhibitor, a JNK inhibitor, a STAT3 activator and at least one agent selected from the group consisting of: bFGF, TGFbeta 1, a PKC inhibitor, a ROCK inhibitor and a NOTCH inhibitor; or at least agent selected from the group consisting of: a TGFR inhibitor, a FGFR inhibitor, a PKC inhibitor, a ROCK inhibitor and a NOTCH inhibitor.

The present invention relates to in vitro methods of inducing gametogenesis by producing meiotically competent cells. Reagents and kits for use in the methods of the invention are also provided. The present invention finds use in the field of medicine, particularly in the study and treatment of infertility.

The present invention provides a method for expanding PGC/PGCLC, including culturing PGC/PGCLC in the presence of a phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitor and/or cyclosporine A, further in the presence of forskolin, and a method for inducing oocytes from PGC/PGCLC, including culturing PGC/PGCLC in the presence of bone forming protein (BMP) and retinoic acid (RA).

The disclosure relates to Bovine germplasm of Bos taurus variety HO840M003150607238. Included in the present disclosure are cells comprising the genome of Bovine variety HO840M003150607238 characterized by the presence of homozygous loci and spermatozoa obtained from said cells. Also provided by the present disclosure are tissue cultures of cells, animals obtained from said cells, and parts thereof, including F1 spermatozoa. The disclosure further provides for methods of breeding, selecting, and using the germplasm to improve existing commercial cattle herds generated from in vitro fertilization methods and progeny cattle obtained from in vitro fertilization and implantation and artificial insemination methods.

The present invention is directed towards methods of culturing germline pluripotent stem cells (gPSCs), with the methods comprising culturing the cells in a cell culture medium while inhibiting the activity of Rho kinase (ROCK) in the cells during culture. The present invention is also directed towards methods of using these continuously cultured gPSCs.

Provided are a method for producing a spermatogenic stem cell-like cell from a primordial germ cell-like cell derived from an isolated pluripotent stem cell in vitro, the method including (1) a step of coculturing a primordial germ cell-like cell with a gonad somatic cell in suspension to give reconstituted testis, and (2) a step of culturing the obtained reconstituted testis at gas/liquid interface to induce a DDX4-positive and PLZF-positive cell in the reconstituted testis; and
a method for producing a GSC-like cell, including dissociating a spermatogenic stem cell-like cell obtained by the method from the reconstituted testis, and culturing the cell under conditions that can induce a germline stem cell from the spermatogenic stem cell.

A DNA editing agent is disclosed which comprises a first nucleic acid sequence for eliciting in an inducible manner a lethal phenotype of male chick embryos in an egg of a bird and a second nucleic acid sequence for directing said nucleic acid sequence for effecting said lethal phenotype to a Z chromosome of a cell of the bird. Use of the DNA editing agent is also disclosed.

The invention provides a method for inducing human primordial germ cell-like (PGC-like) cells from human pluripotent stem cells, with high efficiency and high reproducibility, and a cell surface marker for identifying human PGC-like cells. In particular, the invention provides a method for producing a human PGC-like cell from a human pluripotent stem cell, includes a step of producing a mesoderm-like cell by culturing a human pluripotent stem cell in a culture medium comprising activin A and a GSK3 inhibitor, and a step of culturing the mesoderm-like cell in a culture medium containing BMP. The invention also provides a method for producing an isolated human PGC-like cell, which includes the aforementioned two steps and the additional step of selecting a cell positive to at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of PECAM (CD31), INTEGRINa6 (CD49f), INTEGRIN3 (CD61), KIT (CD117), EpCAM, PODOPLANIN and TRA1-81.