The animal germline is an immortal cell lineage that gives rise to eggs and/or sperm each generation. Fusion of an egg and sperm, or fertilization, sets off a cascade of developmental events capable of producing an array of different cell types and body plans. How germ cells develop, function, and eventually give rise to entirely new organisms is an important question in biology. A growing body of evidence suggests that phase separation events likely play a significant and multifaceted role in germ cells and development. Here, we discuss the organization, dynamics, and potential functions of phase-separated compartments in germ cells and examine the various ways in which phase separation might contribute to the development of multicellular organisms.

动物生殖系是一种不朽的细胞谱系，每一代都会产生卵子和/或精子。卵子和精子的融合或受精会引发一系列发育事件，这些事件能够产生一系列不同的细胞类型和身体计划。生殖细胞如何发育、发挥作用并最终产生全新的生物体是生物学中的一个重要问题。越来越多的证据表明，相分离事件可能在生殖细胞和发育中发挥着重要且多方面的作用。在这里，我们讨论了生殖细胞中相分离区室的组织、动力学和潜在功能，并研究了相分离可能有助于多细胞生物发育的各种方式。