胚胎干细胞(ESC)是一种多能干细胞,具有向生殖细胞分化的能力,由于具有致瘤性和伦理问题,限制了ESC向临床应用发展的前景。成体干细胞(ASC)也是一类多能干细胞,理论上也能分化为生殖细胞,但诱导分化过程往往受到阻滞。诱导性多能干细胞(iPS)是一种具有多能性的重编程体细胞,一定程度上可替代ESC用于基础和临床研究。目前,全球不孕不育的发生率呈逐年递增的趋势,充分认识干细胞向生殖细胞分化的机制是解决该难题的重要理论前提。就各种干细胞向生殖细胞分化的研究进展作一综述。 Embryonic stem cells (ESCs), a pluripotent stem cell that has the ability to differentiate into germ cells, limit the prospects for the development of ESC for clinical applications due to its oncogenic and ethical issues. Adult stem cells (ASCs) are also pluripotent stem cells that, in theory, can also differentiate into germ cells, but the process of differentiation is often blocked. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) is a pluripotent reprogrammed somatic cell that can be used as a substitute for ESC for basic and clinical research. At present, the global incidence of infertility showed a trend of increasing year by year, fully understand the mechanism of stem cell differentiation to germ cells is an important theoretical premise to solve the problem. The research progresses on the differentiation of various stem cells to germ cells are reviewed.