Germline and soma: interactions during early mouse development

Mouse germ cells during their migratory period depend for their survival, proliferation and guidance on growth factors and/or extracellular matrix produced by somatic tissue. The somatic development of the ovary appears more affected by the absence of germ cells than is the testis. Some factor emanating from testicular somatic tissue, probably from Sertoli cells, inhibits germ cells from entering meiosis before birth and thus induces them to embark on spermatogenesis rather than oogenesis. Genomic imprinting must also reflect some somatic influence.