- Aims and Scope
- ISSN 3070-5657 (online)
- Open access · CC BY 4.0
Aims and Scope
The Journal of Embryology publishes research on how embryos form, from gametes and fertilization through cleavage, gastrulation and organogenesis, in humans, animals and model organisms.
What the journal sets out to do
- Publish methodologically sound research that advances understanding of embryonic development in any species.
- Connect basic, comparative, translational and clinical studies through the developmental questions they share.
- Give space to the methods, models, imaging approaches and data resources on which developmental research depends.
- Make the results freely available, under an open license, to everyone who can use them.
From gamete to organ
JE welcomes research on embryonic development and the biology that makes it possible. The six areas below follow the order of development and are examples, not a closed list.
- Stage 1
Gametes and fertilization
Oogenesis, spermatogenesis, meiosis, sperm–egg interaction, egg activation and the events of fertilization.
- Stage 2
Cleavage and the early embryo
Pre-implantation development, the maternal-to-zygotic transition, blastocyst formation and lineage specification.
- Stage 3
Gastrulation and patterning
Germ-layer formation, axis establishment, signaling gradients and gene regulatory networks.
- Stage 4
Morphogenesis and organogenesis
Neural tube, heart, limb and craniofacial development, implantation and placental development.
- Stage 5
Stem cells and developmental genetics
Pluripotency, epigenetic reprogramming and imprinting, congenital anomalies and developmental toxicology.
- Stage 6
Comparative and reproductive embryology
Model organisms and evolutionary development, reproductive biology, embryo culture and imaging methods.
Species, settings and approaches
JE is open to work on any species, from invertebrates and non-model animals to mammals and humans, and to studies of embryos, gametes, organoids, embryo models and cell culture systems.
Basic, comparative, translational and clinical studies are all considered, including studies in reproductive biology and clinical embryology, when a developmental question is central to the work. Fit with this scope is assessed at initial editorial screening.
Research involving human embryos, gametes or embryo models, or animals, is expected to follow the ethical and regulatory requirements that apply to it, as set out in the Editorial Policies.
What JE publishes
- Original Research
- Review
- Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
- Methods
- Short Communication
- Case Report
- Commentary
- Letter
All article types are assessed against the same editorial criteria. Editorial decisions are based on scope, scientific quality, methodological rigor, ethical compliance, reporting quality, and relevance to the journal. Guidance for each type is given in the Instructions for Authors.
Peer review
All submissions undergo initial editorial screening. Manuscripts that meet the journal's scope and minimum requirements proceed to independent peer review. Single-blind by default; double-blind review is available on request. Manuscripts that proceed to external peer review are normally evaluated by at least two independent subject-matter experts.
The journal is open access and published under CC BY 4.0. The article processing charge is payable only after acceptance and does not influence editorial decisions. Withdrawal after submission is subject to the journal’s withdrawal policy.
Submit your research to JE
Journal of Embryology welcomes submissions throughout the year from researchers, clinicians, and multidisciplinary teams working across embryology and developmental biology.