A stretch of viral DNA in the mouse genome gives cells in early-stage embryos the potential to become almost any cell type in ...

A new "atlas" of early embryonic development in mammals suggests that the process is highly chaotic — but there is some method to the madness. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn ...

Molecular mechanism uncovered in mice by UC Santa Cruz researchers reveals how a father’s diet, stress, and other ...

Researchers show that a father’s environment can shape offspring development through small RNAs packaged into sperm. One ...

For decades, scientists have struggled to study this moment in humans because of ethical restrictions and limited access to ...

Over half of our genomes consists of thousands of remnants of ancient viral DNA, known as transposable elements, which are widespread across the tree of life. Once dismissed as the "dark side" of the ...

Despite being an essential developmental process, the understanding of human embryonic genome activation is limited, owing to the lack of in vitro cell models and ethical concerns. To advance ...

A new discovery by researchers challenges our current understanding of gastrulation, the most important stage of early embryonic development. When the zygote, or the fertilised egg, starts to develop, ...

Understanding how cells differentiate during early embryonic development is crucial for advancing regenerative medicine and developmental biology. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have been invaluable ...