The development of animal embryos is initially directed by maternal gene products. Then,
during the maternal-to-zygotic transition (MZT), developmental control is handed to the …

A remarkable epigenetic remodelling process occurs shortly after fertilization, which restores
totipotency to the zygote. This involves global DNA demethylation, chromatin remodelling …

Histone variants endow chromatin with unique properties and show a specific genomic
distribution that is regulated by specific deposition and removal machineries. These variants …

After fertilization, to initiate development, gametes are reprogramed to become totipotent.
Approximately half of the mammalian genome consists of repetitive elements, including …

Drastic epigenetic reprogramming takes place during preimplantation development, leading
to the conversion of terminally differentiated gametes to a totipotent embryo. Deficiencies in …

The molecular regulation of zygotic genome activation (ZGA) in mammals remains an
exciting area of research. Primed mouse embryonic stem cells contain a rare subset of “2C …

Cellular plasticity is essential for early embryonic cells. Unlike pluripotent cells, which form
embryonic tissues, totipotent cells can generate a complete organism including embryonic …

Fluorescent proteins (FP) are frequently used for studying proteins inside cells. In advanced
fluorescence microscopy, FPs can report on additional intracellular variables. One variable …

Mouse embryonic stem cells are dynamic and heterogeneous. For example, rare cells cycle
through a state characterized by decondensed chromatin and expression of transcripts …

The review begins with a concise description of the principles of phase separation. This is
followed by a comprehensive section on phase separation of chromatin, in which we recount …