Germ cell

(Redirected from Germ cells)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

WikiDoc Resources for Germ cell

Articles

Most recent articles on Germ cell

Most cited articles on Germ cell

Review articles on Germ cell

Articles on Germ cell in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ

Media

Powerpoint slides on Germ cell

Images of Germ cell

Photos of Germ cell

Podcasts & MP3s on Germ cell

Videos on Germ cell

Evidence Based Medicine

Cochrane Collaboration on Germ cell

Bandolier on Germ cell

TRIP on Germ cell

Clinical Trials

Ongoing Trials on Germ cell at Clinical Trials.gov

Trial results on Germ cell

Clinical Trials on Germ cell at Google

Guidelines / Policies / Govt

US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Germ cell

NICE Guidance on Germ cell

NHS PRODIGY Guidance

FDA on Germ cell

CDC on Germ cell

Books

Books on Germ cell

News

Germ cell in the news

Be alerted to news on Germ cell

News trends on Germ cell

Commentary

Blogs on Germ cell

Definitions

Definitions of Germ cell

Patient Resources / Community

Patient resources on Germ cell

Discussion groups on Germ cell

Patient Handouts on Germ cell

Directions to Hospitals Treating Germ cell

Risk calculators and risk factors for Germ cell

Healthcare Provider Resources

Symptoms of Germ cell

Causes & Risk Factors for Germ cell

Diagnostic studies for Germ cell

Treatment of Germ cell

Continuing Medical Education (CME)

CME Programs on Germ cell

International

Germ cell en Espanol

Germ cell en Francais

Business

Germ cell in the Marketplace

Patents on Germ cell

Experimental / Informatics

List of terms related to Germ cell

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]


A germ cell is part of the germline and is involved in the reproduction of organisms. Germ cells should not be confused with "germs" (pathogens). For example, the germ cells in male and female humans are the sperm and the eggs respectively.

Germ cells includes all stages of gametogenesis, i.e. gametogonia, gametocytes, gametids and gametes. By a narrower definition, the term germ cell can also just refer to gametes, which are produced by meiosis of the aforementioned germ cells, but this definition is less precise. Cells that are not part of the germline are somatic cells.

Ploidy

Normal human somatic cells are diploid, which means they contain 23 pairs of chromosomes, including one pair of sex chromosomes; an X from the mother, and an X or a Y from the father. If the sex chromosomes are XX then the organism is female and if they are XY then the organism is male. Human germ cells are normally haploid, which means they contain half the chromosomes of somatic cells, or 23 chromosomes and one sex chromosome. Thus when the germ cells unite in fertilization, the cell becomes diploid, and commences embryogenesis.

Origin

Primordial germ cells are predecessors of germ cells. They migrate to the gonadal ridge, where they form gametogonia, and thus start gametogenesis

In gene therapy

Genetic therapy, where new genetic material is introduced into an organism, usually confers new, genetic instructions for a cell and it's daughter cells, and the new genetic information dies with the organism. When the genetic material is put into a germ cell, the new genetic information (for better or worse) may be transfered to biological offspring.[1]

See also

References

  1. R J Trent, I E Alexander. Gene therapy in sport. Br J Sports Med 2006;40:4–5. doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2005.021709

Additional Resources

ar:خلية عروسية de:Keimzelle

Template:WH Template:WikiDoc Sources