Genome-wide epigenetic reprogramming in mammalian germ cells, zygote and early embryos, plays a crucial role in regulating genome functions at critical stages of development. We show here that mouse primordial germ cells ...

X chromosome inactivation is controlled by the cis-acting X-inactivation centre (Xic). In addition to initiating inactivation, Xic, which includes the Xist gene, is involved in both a counting process that senses the number ...

The precise mapping and quantification of DNA methylation as an epigenetic parameter during development and in diseased tissues is of great importance for functional genomics. Here we describe a rapid, quantitative method ...