Definition of "germline" [germline]

• Those cells of an individual that have genetic material that could be passed to offspring; the source of gametes (noun)

Wiktionary.org : Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License

• "And it never gets passed to offspring unless it's incorporated in germline cells."
• "It became obvious to Evans that an alternative strategy had to be used if one were to obtain germline transmission derived from cultured embryonic stem cells."
• "This is gene transfer involving the germline, which is a concern, but we are pursuing it not for general use but for patients with mutations they will pass to the next generation."