中文摘要：

DNA甲基化通过调节基因转录、印记、X染色体灭活和防御外源性遗传物质入侵等，在细胞分化、胚胎发育、环境适应和疾病发生发展上发挥重要作用，是当前表观遗传学研究的热点领域之一。文章介绍了在过去几年中TET介导的DNA羟甲基化及其在早期胚胎发育中的作用， DNA主动去甲基化及其与被动去甲基化的关系， DNA甲基化建立及其与组蛋白修饰、染色质构象、多梳蛋白和非编码RNA结合等关系方面的重要研究进展和存在的问题以及DNA甲基化的转化应用前景。

英文摘要：

DNA methylation plays important roles in cell differentiation, embryonic development, host adaptations to environmental factors, and pathogenesis through regulation of gene transcription and imprinting, X-inactivation, and de-fense of foreign genetic material invasion, is currently one of the hottest research fields on epigenetics. In the past few years, a number of important findings on DNA methylation have been achieved. These findings include discovery of TETs-catalyzed cytosine hydroxymethylation and its functions in the early embryonic development; the relationship be-tween active and passive DNA demethylation;establishment and maintenance of DNA methylation patterns and their asso-ciations with histone modifications, chromatin configuration, polycomb group proteins and non-coding RNA bindings. DNA methylation has become a new potential biomarker and therapy target.