Résumé
Knowledge of the global pattern of gene expression is important for understanding critical regulatory pathways and key biological process governing human reproduction. Genes involved with intracellular signaling, cell survival or death, pluripotency, transcription and translation, methylation and demethylation, and nuclear reprogramming are the main cellular processes that control the early embryonic development. In this chapter, we relate recent advances on the dynamic genes changes of human early embryo development and the application of DNA microarray as a new emergent technology for embryo selection. Techniques of this type may ultimately lead to noninvasive tests for oocyte or embryo quality, revealing previously hidden information concerning both oocyte and embryonic developmental competence. Increased knowledge of genes and related transcriptional networks operative during early embryonic development should lead to advances in assisted reproductive technologies and preimplantation genetic diagnosis.