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Formation of monozygotic twins: when does it occur?
1Department of Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA. acenders@ucdavis.edu
Placenta
|April 12, 2002
Summary
Monozygotic twinning in rhesus monkeys may occur late in embryonic development. This study observed a day 15 embryo with features suggesting twinning is possible at the embryonic shield stage.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Primate Embryology
Background:
- Monozygotic twinning is a significant area of study in reproductive biology.
- Understanding twinning mechanisms in primates provides insights into early human development.
- Previous research has established timelines for twinning in various species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential for late-stage embryonic division in non-human primates.
- To determine if the rhesus monkey implantation process allows for epiblast splitting after initial development.
Main Methods:
- Observation of a day 15 rhesus monkey embryo.
- Analysis of embryonic structures including the embryonic shield, amnions, and yolk sac.
Main Results:
- A day 15 rhesus monkey embryo exhibited partial separation of the cranial embryonic shield into two cell masses.
- The embryo had separate amnions but a shared yolk sac, indicating a specific stage of potential twinning.
Conclusions:
- Primate implantation allows for epiblast division at a later stage than previously assumed.
- This finding suggests monozygotic twinning can occur as late as the embryonic shield stage in rhesus monkeys, just before primitive streak formation.