Primordial germ cells are extracted from post blastocyst embryos of an
ungulate such as extracting primordial germ cells from the gonadal ridges
of 25-day porcine embryos or 34-40 day bovine embryos. The primordial germ
cells are cultured in long term culture (over 30 days) resulting in cells
which resemble embryonic stem cells in morphology and with respect to
maintaining pluripotency. The cells obtained can be maintained for several
months in culture and can be genetically manipulated using homologous
recombination technology in order to insert desired genetic material into
the genetic compliment of the cell at a desired location. The genetically
manipulated cell can be inserted into a blastocyst obtained from the same
species of animal as the cell was derived in order to produce a chimeric
ungulate which ungulate may, via its genetic engineering, produce desired
pharmaceutical products.