Abstract: The effects of 17βestradiol (E2) on development of chicken primordial germ cells (PGCs) in vitro were investigated. Primordial germ cells， which were isolated from genital ridge of stage 28 chicken embryos with the method of EDTAtyrpsin collection， were purified by means of differential attachment technique and cultured in culture mediums of different 17βE2 concentrations (0 ng/ml， 5 ng/ml， 10 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml).The results indicated that there was no significant difference in development of PGCs between the group with 0 ng/ml and 5 ng/ml 17βE2. However， compared with the groups with 0 ng/ml and 5 ng/ml 17βE2， the groups with 10 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml 17βE2 had significant difference (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in development of PGCs between the group with 10 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml 17βE2. The findings indicat that 17βestradiol of certain concentration (10 ng/ml， 20 ng/ml) promotes PGCs development in vitro.

Key words: chicken embryo; primordial germ cells; in vitro culture; 17βestradiol