Babraham epigenetics research paves the way for a better
understanding of unexplained infertility 19 August 2011 BBSRC-
funded scientists at the Babraham Institute have made a
breakthrough in understanding how mammalian genomes are modified
in the egg and sperm and are reprogrammed after fertilisation,
which also has implications for better understanding fertility.
Around 15% of couples worldwide have difficulty conceiving a
child and in around 5% of cases the reasons for infertility
remain elusive. Attention is now turning to epigenetic changes,
which are important regulators for many biological processes
including the development of sperm and eggs. This research, in
collaboration with the National Institute for Child Health and
Development in Tokyo, may bring new understanding to cases of
infertility where there is no obvious underlying cause and pave
the way for improvements in diagnosis of infertility and
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) in humans. At the heart
of embryonic reprogramming are chemic