In the present study we employed a two-step culture system to study the expression of Fas, p53 and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the development in vitro of human fetal germ cells. p53 mRNA was determined by Northern blotting, and Fas content was assessed by western blotting. RT-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) analysis was performed to determine the expression of AFP mRNA in different stages of fetal follicular development. Follicular cell apoptosis was evaluated by DNA fragmentation analyses (DNA ladder). The results showed that by day 7 of culture approximately one-sixth of fetal germ cells grew to class C oocytes (primary oocytes) from class B oocytes (primordial oocytes) or class A oocytes. On day 45 of culture, one-third of these primary follicles doubled in size. In the meantime, there was a high proportion apoptosis of follicular cells on days 35 or 45 of culture, as evident by a clear ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation upon electrophoretic analysis. Expression of Fas antigen and p53 mRNA increased in a time-dependent manner, while AFP mRNA was expressed on days 10 to 35, and disappeared on day 45. These results indicate that human fetal germ cells can develop in a two-step culture system and AFP may play an active role in the proliferation of these germ cells. At the late stage of follicular development in vitro, a number of follicular cells became apoptotic. Moreover, apoptosis may be the mechanism responsible for fetal germ cell regression and the Fas antigen and/or p53-mediated death pathway may be central in the induction of germ cell regression.