The Non-Human Primate Model for Early Human Development

Non-human primates (NHPs) have been shown to be highly relevant models for studies of human infectious disease and fundamental pathophysiology. NHPs have also been used to address issues related to women's health, assisted reproduction, fetal well-being, and miscarriage, and have been shown to be highly relevant models for studies on assisted reproduction, gamete biology, endocrine control of gamete production, and behavior. This chapter outlines the importance of NHP models for development of understanding of human development and infertility. We discuss the advantages of the models for applications that include assisted reproductive technology (ART), as well as for studies into early embryo development. We compare developmental landmarks of timing of embryo cleavage and cytokinesis in primates and discuss some research applications for understanding these processes.