X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is the epigenetic mechanism that ensures X-linked dosage
compensation between cells of females (XX karyotype) and males (XY). XCI is essential for …

The placenta is essential for normal in utero development in mammals. In humans, defective
placental formation underpins common pregnancy disorders such as pre-eclampsia and …

The human embryo undergoes morphogenetic transformations following implantation into
the uterus, but our knowledge of this crucial stage is limited by the inability to observe the …

Cellular reprogramming can manipulate the identity of cells to generate the desired cell
types,–. The use of cell intrinsic components, including oocyte cytoplasm and transcription …

The ability to study human post-implantation development remains limited owing to ethical
and technical challenges associated with intrauterine development after implantation …

One week after fertilization, human embryos implant into the uterus. This event requires the
embryo to form a blastocyst consisting of a sphere encircling a cavity lodging the embryo …

Gastrulation is the fundamental process in all multicellular animals through which the basic
body plan is first laid down,,–. It is pivotal in generating cellular diversity coordinated with …

Limited access to embryos has hampered the study of human embryogenesis and disorders
that occur during early pregnancy. Human pluripotent stem cells provide an alternative …

After fertilization, the quiescent zygote experiences a burst of genome activation that initiates
a short-lived totipotent state. Understanding the process of totipotency in human cells would …

Human pluripotent and trophoblast stem cells have been essential alternatives to
blastocysts for understanding early human development 1, 2, 3, 4. However, these simple …