Keeping egg cells fresh with epigenetics

(Babraham Institute) Keeping egg cells in stasis during childhood is a key part of female fertility. New research sheds light on the role of epigenetics in placing egg cells into stasis through childhood. A team from Cambridge, Dresden and Munich discovered a distinctive pattern of epigenetic marks that are needed for egg cell stasis. If egg cells don't go into stasis they can't become mature eggs and they will never have the chance to form new life.