Evaluation of epigenetic marks in human embryos derived from IVF and ICSI

It has long been appreciated that environmental cues may trigger adaptive responses. Many of these responses are a result of changes in the epigenetic landscape influencing transcriptional states and consequently altering phenotypes. In the context of human reproductive health, the procedures necessary for assisted reproduction may result in altered phenotypes by primarily influencing DNA methylation. Among the well-documented effects of assisted reproduction technologies (ART), imprinted genes appear to be frequently altered, likely owing to their reliance on DNA methylation to impose parent-specific monoallelic expression. However, the generality of the potential deregulation of DNA methylation in ART-derived human embryos has not been evaluated.