Gonadotropins regulate ovarian germ cell mitosis/meiosis decision in the embryonic chicken

► Gonadotropins regulate ovarian germ cell mitosis or meiosis decision in vivo. ► FSH and LH regulate germ cell development through a miR181a*-mediated pathway. ► FSH delays germ cell meiosis entry and promotes cell proliferation through estrogen. ► LH induces P4 production to trigger germ cell meiotic initiation.