Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Protein Expression to Study Lineage Specification in Mouse Preimplantation Embryos

Quantitative Analysis of Protein Expression to Study Lineage Specification in Mouse Preimplantation Embryos

Published on: February 22, 2016

Stochastic patterning in the mouse pre-implantation embryo.

Jens-Erik Dietrich¹, Takashi Hiiragi

¹Max-Planck Institute of Immunobiology, Department of Developmental Biology, Freiburg i. Br., Germany.

Development (Cambridge, England)

|November 6, 2007

Summary

Early mouse embryo development involves stochastic processes in cell fate determination. Transcription factor dynamics reveal critical events in trophectoderm, epiblast, and primitive endoderm lineage divergence.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Boundary geometry controls a topological defect transition that determines lumen nucleation in embryonic development.

Nature materials·2026

Same author

Boundary-guided cell alignment drives mouse epiblast maturation.

Nature physics·2026

Same author

Optimality as a framework for understanding developmental robustness.

Trends in cell biology·2025

Same author

Coupling of cell shape, matrix and tissue dynamics ensures embryonic patterning robustness.

Nature cell biology·2025

Same author

Temporal variability and cell mechanics control robustness in mammalian embryogenesis.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2024

Same author

Competence for neural crest induction is controlled by hydrostatic pressure through Yap.

Nature cell biology·2024

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Cell Biology
Genetics

Background:

Mouse pre-implantation development forms the blastocyst with distinct trophectoderm (TE), primitive endoderm (PE), and epiblast (EPI) lineages.
Mechanisms patterning cleavage-stage embryos remain largely unresolved.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the underlying mechanisms of early mouse embryonic patterning.
To identify critical events in TE, EPI, and PE lineage divergence using transcription factor distribution.

Main Methods:

Analysis of transcription factor distribution (Oct4, Cdx2, Nanog) at defined pre-implantation stages.
Observation of protein level variability and expression patterns during early development.

Main Results:

More Related Videos

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Mutant Whole Mouse Embryos: From the Epiblast to the End of Gastrulation

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Mutant Whole Mouse Embryos: From the Epiblast to the End of Gastrulation

Published on: June 14, 2024

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Published on: June 6, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Quantitative Analysis of Protein Expression to Study Lineage Specification in Mouse Preimplantation Embryos

Quantitative Analysis of Protein Expression to Study Lineage Specification in Mouse Preimplantation Embryos

Published on: February 22, 2016

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Mutant Whole Mouse Embryos: From the Epiblast to the End of Gastrulation

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Mutant Whole Mouse Embryos: From the Epiblast to the End of Gastrulation

Published on: June 14, 2024

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Published on: June 6, 2016

Oct4 is present in all cells until late blastocyst, then diminishes in TE.
Cdx2 and Nanog expression shows two phases: initial variability followed by restriction to TE and EPI, respectively.
Early expression lacks reciprocal regulation between Cdx2, Oct4, and Nanog, suggesting stochasticity.

Conclusions:

Early mouse embryonic patterning involves stochastic processes and regulative capacity.
A model is proposed where initial variability and subsequent sorting establish distinct cell lineages.
This stochastic patterning may be unique to early mammalian development.