RETINOIC ACID IS A POTENT GROWTH ACTIVATOR OF MOUSE PRIMORDIAL GERM-CELLS IN-VITRO

Effects of retinoic acid (RA) on the growth of mouse primordial germ c ells (PGC) were studied using an in vitro coculture system. Addition o f RA to the culture medium markedly increased the number of PGC of the migratory phase and also significantly retarded the depletion of gona dal PGC. We observed stimulation of mitotic activity by RA treatment a t all stages of PGC examined (8.5, 11.5, and 13.5 days postcoitum), ev en in the absence of feeder cells. From these results, we conclude tha t RA affects PGC directly to promote their survival and proliferation and that the RA-induced intracellular signal may have a crucial role i n the development of PGC. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc.