Metabolic and epigenetic dysfunctions underlie the arrest of in vitro fertilized human embryos in a senescent-like state

Journal:
PLOS Biology
Published:
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pbio.3001682
Affiliations:
8
Authors:
18
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Research Highlight

Why most IVF embryos stop dividing

© Science Photo Library – KTSDESIGN/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images

Genetic and metabolic changes that prevent about 60% of artificially fertilized human eggs progressing beyond eight cells have been identified.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has enabled countless couples around the world to have babies. But it is surprisingly difficult to culture human embryos in the lab — about six in ten embryos stop dividing between the two- and eight-cell stages. The reasons for this high failure rate weren’t known.

Now, a team led by researchers from SUSTech in Shenzhen, China, has identified metabolic and epigenetic problems that cause embryos to stop dividing.

They also found evidence that in some cases it may be possible to induce arrested embryos to start dividing again, raising the possibility that future measures could be used to improve the success rate of IVF.

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References

  1. PLOS Biology 20, e3001682 (2022). doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001682
Institutions Authors Share
Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech), China
8.000000
 0.44
Shanghai Shuguang Hospital, China
7.000000
 0.39
BGI-Shenzhen, China
1.000000
 0.06
Southern Medical University (SMU), China
0.666667
 0.04
Longhua Hospital Shanghai University of TCM, China
0.500000
 0.03
MOE Key Laboratory of Theory and Therapy of Muscles and Bones, SHUTCM, China
0.500000
 0.03
Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), China
0.333333
 0.02