Transposable elements are stretches of DNA that can move around the genome. Many of these DNA sequences originate from long ago, when viruses inserted their genetic material into our ancestors' ...

Biologists have provided new insights on a longstanding puzzle in biology: How complex organisms arise from a single fertilized cell. Producing a new 'gene atlas' with 4-D imaging, the researchers ...

Left: staining for H3K27me3, which marks inactive DNA, on a nucleus of a wildtype embryo consisting of two cells Right: staining for H3K27me3, which marks inactive DNA, on a nucleus of an embryo ...

Cell division is an essential process for all life on earth, yet the exact mechanisms by which cells divide during early embryonic development have remained elusive – particularly for egg-laying ...

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, ...

Multicellularity is one of the most profound phenomena in biology, and relies on the ability of a single cell to reorganize itself into a complex organism. It underpins the diversity in the animal ...

NEW YORK -- New lab techniques have provided the first good look at a crucial but mysterious stage in the development of human embryos, scientists reported Wednesday. The researchers said follow-up ...

Week 3 of pregnancy is a critical stage when the embryo begins to grow rapidly. During this week, cells divide at an astonishing rate, laying the foundation for all future tissues and organs. This ...

Neural crest cells are a population of stem cells that invade the embryo in early development. They play a big role in what ...

Why doesn’t a ‘good’ embryo always lead to pregnancy in IVF? Explore key factors beyond embryo quality that affect IVF ...