Toward a more precise and informative nomenclature describing fetal and neonatal male germ cells in rodents.

ABSTRACT: The germ cell lineages are among the best characterized of all cell lineages in mammals. This characterization includes precise nomenclature that distinguishes among numerous, often subtle, changes in function or morphology as development and differentiation of germ cells proceed to form the gametes. In male rodents, there are at least 41 distinct cell types that occur during progression through the male germ cell lineage that gives rise to spermatozoa. However, there is one period during male germ cell development-that which occurs immediately following the primordial germ cell stage and prior to the spermatogonial stage-for which the system of precise and informative cell type terminology is not adequate. Often, male germ cells during this period are referred to simply as "gonocytes." Ho

SUBMITTER: McCarrey JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4076367 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature