The rise of developmental biology in China

Developmental biology research in China started from experimental embryology, in particular from studies on aquatic and reptile animals. The recent growth of the developmental biology community in China parallels the increased governmental funding support and the recruitment of overseas talents. This flourishing field in China embraces the activities of developmental biology-related societies, national meetings, key research initiatives and talented scientists. The first Development paper from China, published in 2000, marked the beginning of a new era. More recently, the second decade in the 21st century witnessed the blossoming of developmental biology research in China. Significant research spotlights, technical advances, and up-and-coming areas will be discussed in this overview.