Migration and accumulation of primordial germ cells of early embryo in quail

Abstract

Using QH1 (Quail Hemangioblastic Lineage) monoclonal antibody analysis, we have identified primordial germ cells (PGCs) in quail embryo. Quail PGCs originated from the opaca of unincubated blastodisc, and then transferred to the pellucida and the germinal crescent. At 27 hours post-incubation, a few PGCs first appeared in blood vessels of the pellucida, where many PGCs accumulated at 36 hours post-incubation. The PGCs scattered or clustered from head to omphalo mesenteric and mainly settled down in the mesenchymal blood vessels of head at 45 hours post-incubation. The size of PGCs population increased significantly (P＜0.05) from stage XII (12.8±4.82 μm) to primitive streak stage (106.7±8.74 μm) and from Head process stage (95.8±19.74 μm) to tenth somite stage (199.4±19.97 μm). It is concluded that the PGCs scattered in the head area before migration to the germinal crescent and distributed randomly in the both gland. The number of PGCs varied at different stages with two peaks, primitive streak stage (18 hours post-incubation) and tenth somite (36 hours post-incubation).

Keywords

• Quail, Primordial germ cells, Migration, Cluster.