Abstract: Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a maternal genetic trait widely found in higher plants．CMS is not only a favorable material for studying the interaction between cytoplasmic and nuclear genomes, but also an important basis for the utilization of plant heterosis. Maize is one of the most successful example for the utilization of heterosis in crops, and CMS has become a powerful tool for hybrid production to utilize heterosis in maize. Therefore, the molecular mechanism of CMS in maize has always been a research hotspot. In this paper, CMS related genes and fertility restorer genes discovered in the three major types of CMS in maize were summarized, and the problems that needed to be solved in CMS-related research and development prospects in the application of CMS in maize were discussed. This review provided theoretical reference for better understanding of the molecular mechanism of CMS in plant and the application of CMS system for hybrid seed production in the utilization of heterosis in maize.