Gene expression during the oocyte-to-embryo transition in mammals.

ABSTRACT: The seminal question in modern developmental biology is the origins of new life arising from the unification of sperm and egg. The roots of this question begin from 19th to 20th century embryologists studying fertilization and embryogenesis. Although the revolution of molecular biology has yielded significant insight into the complexity of this process, the overall orchestration of genes, molecules, and cells is still not fully formed. Early mammalian development, specifically the oocyte-to-embryo transition, is essentially under "maternal command" from factors deposited in the cytoplasm during oocyte growth, independent of de novo transcription from the nascent embryo. Many of the advances in understanding this developmental period occurred in tandem with application of new methods and te

SUBMITTER: Evsikov AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2974443 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature