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

The study published today reveals for the first time that the harmful effects of alcohol on fetal development aren't directly attributable to placental abnormalities. However, molecular changes, ...

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 ...

Researchers have gained new insights into the mechanism behind the spatial organization of DNA within the cells of early embryos. When an embryo is first formed after fertilization, each cell has the ...

In the earliest hours after fertilization, an embryo takes its first steps toward becoming a living organism by shedding maternal control and activating its own genetic program. This critical process, ...

Researchers at the Center for Embryology and Healthy Development (CRESCO) aim to find out why so many early embryos fail in their development. New insights into how maternal and paternal DNA is ...

A new study from the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences (LMS) in London, UK reveals how ancient viral DNA once written off as "junk" plays a crucial role in the earliest moments of life. The research, ...