Advances in studying human gametogenesis and embryonic development in China

Abstract

Abstract Reproductive medicine in China has developed rapidly since 1988 due to support from the government and scientific exploration. However, the success rate of assisted reproduction technology is around 30–40% and many unknown “black boxes” in gametogenesis and embryo development are still present. With the development of single-cell and low-input sequencing technologies, the network of transcriptome and epigenetic regulation (DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility, and histone modifications) during the development of human primordial germ cells, gametes, and embryos has been investigated in depth. Furthermore, preimplantation genetic testing has also rapidly developed. In this review, we summarize and analyze China’s outstanding progress in these fields.