Abstract: Mitochondrial disease is a kind of genetic disease caused by the mutation in mitochondria genome. There is not a cure method for it. Recently, the nuclear transfer techniques including germinal vesicle transfer, spindle transfer, polar body transfer and pronuclear transfer provide a new hope for the treatment of mitochondrial disease. The germinal vesicle transfer requires the in vitro maturation of oocytes which may affect the development potential of oocytes. The spindle transfer may be at the high risk of damaging spindle since the spindle assembly is sensitive to mechanical stimulus and chromosomes are not enclosed within a nuclear membrane at this stage. As for the polar body transfer, the long-term side-effect is not clear since this technique steps over the natural selection. Pronuclear transfer, with the advantage of easy operation and sufficient research evidences, has the potential of clinical transformation in a short time，although there is still a ethical concern in the cytoplasmic donor from the zygote discarding itself genetic material. This paper reviews the possible application of four kinds of mitochondrial replacement techniques in the treatment of mitochondrial diseases.

Key words: Mitochondria, Nuclear transfer techniques, Zygote, Meiosis, Oocytes, Fertilization, Recombination, genetic