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Developmental biology

The X-inactivation yo-yo

In female mammals, one of two X chromosomes has to be shut down during early development. To what extent does this ‘imprinted X-chromosome inactivation’ involve the history of the chromosome?

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Figure 1: Imprinted X inactivation: on again, off again?

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Reik, W., Ferguson-Smith, A. The X-inactivation yo-yo. Nature 438, 297–298 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/438297a

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