ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Central to biology is the accurate passage of genetic material from one generation to another. The mechanisms that control and govern our most basic yet prized function, reproduction, are tightly regulated and share common features among evolutionarily distant species. The zygote and the early embryonic cells that result from the union of gametes are totipotent as they are able to give rise to all cells in the body. Insights into the unique features of the molecular biology of both gametes and the early embryo may further our understanding of stem cell biology.
