Oogenesis serves a singular role in the reproductive success of plants and animals. Of their remarkable differentiation pathway what stands out is the ability of oocytes to transform from a single cell into the totipotent lineages that seed the early embryo. As our understanding that commonalities between diverse organisms at the genetic, cellular and molecular levels are conserved to achieve successful reproduction, the notion that embryogenesis presupposes oogenesis has entered the day‐to‐day parlance of regenerative medicine and stem cell biology. With emphasis on the mammalian oocyte, this review will cover (1) current concepts regarding the birth, survival and growth of oocytes that depends on complex patterns of cell communication between germ line and soma, (2) the notion of “maternal inheritance” from a genetic and epigenetic perspective, and (3) the relative value of model systems with reference to current clinical and biotechnology applications. J. Cell. Physiol. 216: 355–365, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.