Uniparental embryos in the study of genomic imprinting

Abstract

Nuclear transplantation has been used to study genomic imprinting. Available nuclear transfer methods include pronuclear transfer (PNT), intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and round spermatid injection. By generating uniparental embryos that have exclusively paternal or maternal genomes, it is possible to study the functions of the parental genomes separately. It is possible to compare functions in haploid and diploid states. In addition, nuclear transfer allows the effects of the ooplasm, including mitochondria, to be distinguished from effects of the maternally inherited chromosomes. PNTs can also be used to study epigenetic modifications of the parental genomes by the ooplasm. This chapter reviews the methods employed to generate uniparental embryonic constructs for these purposes. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.