Cited by 235Prenatal Screening and DiagnosticsMicrotubule and mitosis dynamicsReproductive Biology and Fertility

Mosaicism in Preimplantation Human Embryos: When Chromosomal Abnormalities Are the Norm

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McCoy, Rajiv C.·2017·Trends in Genetics

Abstract

Along with errors in meiosis, mitotic errors during post-zygotic cell division contribute to pervasive aneuploidy in human embryos. Relatively little is known, however, about the genesis of these errors or their fitness consequences. Rapid technological advances are helping to close this gap, revealing diverse molecular mechanisms contributing to mitotic error. These include altered cell cycle checkpoints, aberrations of the centrosome, and failed chromatid cohesion, mirroring findings from cancer biology. Recent studies are challenging the idea that mitotic error is abnormal, emphasizing that the fitness impacts of mosaicism depend on its scope and severity. In light of these findings, technical and philosophical limitations of various screening approaches are discussed, along with avenues for future research.

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Authors
McCoy, R. C.
Affiliations
University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author
McCoy, Rajiv C.
Venue
Trends in Genetics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2017-07
Volume
33
Issue
7
Pages
448-463
ISSN
0168-9525 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2607742704
Cited by
235
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 17 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 28 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 2
FWCI
3.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Trends in Genetics (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
NIH/NHGRI Genome Training Grant (5T32HG000035-22)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Screening and Diagnostics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Microtubule and mitosis dynamics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
Keywords
mosaicism, preimplantation embryo, aneuploidy, mitotic errors, cell cycle checkpoints, centrosome abnormalities, embryo screening, meiotic errors
MeSH terms
Aneuploidy, Blastocyst, Chromosome Aberrations, Humans, Meiosis, Mitosis, Mosaicism

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