本书为“中国基础研究报告”丛书《细胞编程与重编程的表观遗传机制》英文版，基于重大研究计划“细胞编程与重编程的表观遗传机制”的研究成果写作完成。该重大研究计划历时8年，资助总经费1.9亿元，申请项目涉及生命、化学和信息等学部，取得了丰硕的科研成果，在三大集成方向均取得了多项具有重大国际影响力的突破性研究成果，并培养了一批具有国际竞争力的研究队伍。其成功实施为我国表观遗传总体研究水平的全面提升和跨越式发展做出了重大贡献。本书介绍了这一重大研究计划实施情况。

Chapter 1 Project Overview
1.1 Introduction
1.1.1 Arrangement and Comprehensive Integration of This MRP
1.1.2 Interdisciplinary Cooperation
1.2 Research Overview
1.2.1 Overall Scientific Objectives
1.2.2 Key Scientific Issues
1.3 Significant Progress
Chapter 2 Domestic and Foreign Research
2.1 Introduction of Epigenetic Research Plans
2.2 Status Quo of the Epigenetic Research
2.3 Development Trends of the Epigenetic Research
2.3.1 Mechanisms of Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Expression
2.3.2 Discovery, Identification, and Function Studies of New Epigenetic Modifications, Modifying Enzymes, and Reader Proteins
2.3.3 Mechanisms of Establishment and Maintenance of Epigenetic Information
2.3.4 Epigenetic Regulation on Reproduction and Development
2.3.5 Molecular Mechanisms of Epigenetic Regulation on Cell Programming and Reprogramming
2.3.6 Higher-Order Chromatin Structures and Subnuclear Structures
2.3.7 Origins and Evolution of Epigenetic Regulatory Networks
2.3.8 Cancer, Neurodegenerative Diseases and Other Major Diseases Related to Epigenetic Regulation
Chapter 3 Major Research Achievements
3.1 New Epigenetic Regulators and Chromatin Remodeling Factors as Well as Their Biological Functions and Mechanisms
3.1.1 New Mechanisms of Interactive Regulation Between DNA Methylation and Histone Methylation Modifications
3.1.2 New Regulation Mechanisms of DNA Methylase and Demethylase Activities
3.1.3 New Histone Modification Codes and the Interpretation Mechanisms
3.1.4 Higher-Order Structure of 30-nm Chromatin Fibers and Their Dynamic Regulation Mechanisms
3.1.5 Mechanisms of Centromeric Chromatin Establishment and Nucleosome Assembly
3.1.6 Roles of Histone Variants in Chromatin Assembly
3.1.7 New Interaction Patterns Between Epigenetic Regulation and DNA Damage Repair
3.2 Discovery of Epigenetic Regulation Mechanisms for Stem Cell Self-renewal and Somatic Cell Reprogramming, and Breakthroughs in Animal Cloning and Reproductive Technologies
3.2.1 Establishment of ESCs and Semi Cloning Technologies to Make Artificial Spermatids
3.2.2 First Utilization of the Polar Body Genome Transfer for Preventing the Transmission of Inherited Mitochondrial Diseases
3.2.3 The Seesaw Model of Lineage Specifiers Inducing Somatic Cells to iPSC
3.2.4 Safety Evaluation of Traditional Methods of iPSC Induction by Yamanaka Factors
3.2.5 Exploration of the Regulation Mechanisms of Somatic Cell Reprogramming and Discovery of New Regulators
3.2.6 Discovery of New Signals for Maintaining Stem Cell Self-renewal and Developmental Pluripotency
3.3 Epigenetic Mechanisms Related to Cell Differentiation and Transdifferentiation, Ontogeny, and Diseases
3.3.1 Discovery of the Key Factors to Promote the Transdifferentiation of Somatic Cells to Hepatocytes
3.3.2 Discovery of the Epigenetic Mechanisms and Cell Signaling Pathways Inducing the Differentiation and Transdifferentiation from Embryonic Stem Cells or Somatic Cells to Neurons
3.3.3 Discovery of Important Disease-Related Epigenetic Modifications
3.4 Establishment of Epigenetic Maps to Reveal the Characteristics and Rules of Epigenetic Modifications during the Embryonic Development
3.4.1 Discovery of Distribution and Change Rules of Genome-Wide Histone Modifications in Pre-implantation Embryos
3.4.2 Establishment of Single-Cell Transcriptome Sequencing and Analysis Tools
3.4.3 Establishment of Genome-Wide Methylation Profiles to Reveal the Inheritance and Evolution Rules of Epigenetic Modifications
Chapter 4 Outlook
4.1 Directions to be Strengthened in China's Epigenetic Research
4.2 Strategic Needs of the Epigenetic Research in China
4.3 Conceptions and Suggestions for Further Research
References