Avian primordial germ cell migration: History, mechanisms, applications, and unanswered questions

Abstract

Since Swift's discovery of primordial germ cells (PGCs) within the vasculature of chicken embryos in 1914, significant progress has been made in uncovering the origins, migratory pathways, and molecular characteristics of avian PGCs. Recent advances in this field have been accelerated by two synergistic factors: the establishment of robust culture systems that enable efficient genetic manipulation of chicken PGCs, and the inherent suitability of avian embryos for cell transplantation and live imaging. Together, these features have positioned avian PGCs as a powerful system for investigating not only cell migration but also long-standing mysteries in germ cell biology. Furthermore, this system offers a unique platform for dissecting the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying diseases such as cancer metastasis and germ cell tumors. In this review, we revisit key historical milestones in avian PGC research, explore current knowledge of their migratory regulation, and highlight future directions with potential impact across cell biology, developmental biology, and disease modeling.