Embryonic diapause

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Animal dormancy

Embryonic diapause[a] (delayed implantation in mammals) is a reproductive strategy used by a number of animal species across different biological classes. In more than 130 types of mammals where this takes place, the process occurs at the blastocyst stage of embryonic development,[1] and is characterized by a dramatic reduction or complete cessation of mitotic activity, arresting most often in the G0 or G1 phase of division.[2]

In placental embryonic diapause, the blastocyst does not immediately implant in the uterus after sexual reproduction has resulted in the zygote, but rather remains in this non-dividing state of dormancy until conditions allow for attachment to the uterine wall to proceed as normal.[3] As a result, the normal gestation period is extended for a species-specific time.[4][5]

Diapause provides a survival advantage to offspring, because birth or emergence of young can be timed to coincide with the most hospitable conditions, regardless of when mating occurs or length of gestation; any such gain in survival rates of progeny confers an evolutionary advantage.


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  1. ^ "Review: Embryonic diapause in the European roe deer – slowed, but not stopped - ScienceDirect".
  2. ^ Lopes FL, Desmarais JA, Murphy BD (December 2004). "Embryonic diapause and its regulation". Reproduction. 128 (6): 669–678. doi:10.1530/rep.1.00444. PMID 15579584.
  3. ^ Renfree MB, Fenelon JC (September 2017). "The enigma of embryonic diapause". Development. 144 (18): 3199–3210. doi:10.1242/dev.148213. PMID 28928280. S2CID 6441064.
  4. ^ Desmarais JA, Bordignon V, Lopes FL, Smith LC, Murphy BD (March 2004). "The escape of the mink embryo from obligate diapause". Biology of Reproduction. 70 (3): 662–670. doi:10.1095/biolreprod.103.023572. PMID 14585805. S2CID 38759201.
  5. ^ Renfree MB, Shaw G (March 2000). "Diapause". Annual Review of Physiology. 62 (1): 353–375. doi:10.1146/annurev.physiol.62.1.353. PMID 10845095.