High resolution multi-scale profiling of embryonic germ cell-like cell derivation reveals pluripotent state transitions in humans [RNA-Seq]

In mice and rats, PGCs can readily acquire pluripotency in vitro by forming embryonic germ cells (EGCs). To date, a comparable in vitro system has not been established in humans, despite the fact that human PGCs (hPGCs) readily undergo pluripotent conversion in the context of germ cell tumorigenesis.

Here we report that hPGC-like cells (hPGCLCs) undergo conversion to human embryonic germ-like cells (hEGCLCs) upon exposure to the same inductive signals previously used to derive mouse EGCs. This defined, feeder-free culture system allows efficient derivation of human EGCLCs which can be expanded and maintained in standard human pluripotent stem cell medium. hEGCLCs are transcriptionally similar to human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) and can differentiate into all three germ layers, as well as giving rise to PGCLCs once more - demonstrating the interconvertibility of pluripotent states.