Bone Morphogenetic Proteins in Preimplantation Embryos

The bone morphogenetic proteins' (BMPs) pathway is one of the evolutionarily oldest used by animal embryos and is required for dorsal-ventral patterning of the early embryo of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Nevertheless, the role of this system in preimplantation embryo development has not been extensively studied yet. Taking into account that the preimplantation period is different among species though the BMP system is conserved, information regarding comparative embryo development and the role of BMPs in different mammalian models is revised and discussed in this chapter. BMP system is expressed by maternal tissues (the ovary, the oviduct, and the uterus) as well as by the embryo and extraembryonic tissues. The reviewed information demonstrates a very important role for BMP signaling system at different stages of embryo preimplantation development from acquisition of gamete competence to regulation of trophoblast development and differentiation in mice as well as in ungulates.