Forget the Parents: Epigenetic Reprogramming in Human Germ Cells

Ferdinand von Meyenn; Wolf Reik

doi:10.1016/j.cell.2015.05.039

Forget the Parents: Epigenetic Reprogramming in Human Germ Cells

Cell. 2015 Jun 4;161(6):1248-51. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.05.039.

Authors

Ferdinand von Meyenn¹, Wolf Reik²

Affiliations

¹ Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK. Electronic address: vonmeyenn@babraham.ac.uk.
² Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK; Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton CB10 1SA, UK. Electronic address: wolf.reik@babraham.ac.uk.

PMID: 26046435
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2015.05.039

Abstract

Epigenetic reprogramming in the germline resets genomic potential and erases epigenetic memory. Three studies by Gkountela et al., Guo et al., and Tang et al. analyze the transcriptional and epigenetic landscape of human primordial germ cells, revealing a unique transcriptional network and progressive and conserved global erasure of DNA methylation.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Cell Differentiation*
Female
Genomic Imprinting*
Germ Cells / metabolism*
Germ Cells / physiology*
Humans
Male
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / metabolism*

Substances

Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit

Grants and funding

095645/Wellcome Trust/United Kingdom