Employing Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Primordial Germ Cells Generation in Mammalian Wildlife: Challenges and Opportunities – A Review

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are obtained from adult somatic cells and can be differentiated into multiple cell types. The molecular mechanisms of iPSCs in wild animals are only recently being explored. These mechanisms are species-specific, which complicates the broader application of iPSC technologies across wild species; conversely, in domestic species, several reports mentioned the success on iPSCs generation. Additionally, iPSCs can be differentiated into primordial germ cells (PGCs) which have the potential to be differentiated into gametes in vitro and in vivo. Many studies report the generation of PGCs in domestic animals, however, only a few reports describe PGCs generation in wild species. Elucidating the mechanisms involved in PGCs generation from iPSCs in different animal species potentially leads to the development of a valuable tool for animal conservation. This review aims to explore different aspects of iPSCs and PGCs technology, highlighting progress and techniques in obtaining these cells from endangered and wild animals while also comparing these findings with those from domestic animals.