Haploidy in Humans: An Evolutionary and Developmental Perspective

Ido Sagi; Nissim Benvenisty

doi:10.1016/j.devcel.2017.04.019

Haploidy in Humans: An Evolutionary and Developmental Perspective

Dev Cell. 2017 Jun 19;41(6):581-589. doi: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.04.019.

Authors

Ido Sagi¹, Nissim Benvenisty²

Affiliations

¹ The Azrieli Center for Stem Cells and Genetic Research, Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
² The Azrieli Center for Stem Cells and Genetic Research, Department of Genetics, Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 28633015
DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2017.04.019

Abstract

Although haploidy has not been observed in vertebrates, its natural occurrence in various eukaryotic species that had diverged from diploid ancestors suggests that there is an innate capacity for an organism to regain haploidy and that haploidy may confer evolutionary benefits. Haploid embryonic stem cells have been experimentally generated from mouse, rat, monkey, and humans. Haploidy results in major differences in cell size and gene expression levels while also affecting parental imprinting, X chromosome inactivation, and mitochondrial metabolism genes. We discuss here haploidy in evolution and the barriers to haploidy, in particular in the human context.

Keywords: Differentiation; Diploidization; Embryonic stem cells; Evolution; Genomic imprinting; Haploid; Human; Ploidy; Pluripotent stem cells; X chromosome inactivation.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Diploidy*
Embryonic Stem Cells / cytology*
Genomic Imprinting / genetics*
Haploidy*
Humans
Pluripotent Stem Cells / cytology*
X Chromosome Inactivation / genetics*