Seminars

A central question in germline biology is when and how heritable epigenetic states are established in the parental germlines. The formation of proper chromatin states is essential for sperm and oocytes to develop normally, but how these states are established remains poorly understood. In the male germline, we uncover a mechanism of epigenetic priming that allows germ cells to respond to retinoic acid and begin differentiation. In the female germline, we show that long-lived non-growing oocytes, which form the ovarian reserve, contain abundant histone modifications that help maintain reproductive lifespan and prepare oocytes for growth and early embryonic development. Together, our research aims to understand how epigenetic programs in sperm and oocytes are established and how they influence the next generation.