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Related Experiment Videos

Mouse blastomeres acquire ability to divide asymmetrically before compaction.

Monika Humięcka1, Marcin Szpila1, Piotr Kłoś1

  • 1Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.

Plos One
|April 1, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Mouse embryos determine cell fate early. Blastomeres from 8-cell stage embryos are predestined for asymmetric division before visible polarity, suggesting cell-cell interactions regulate this process in intact embryos.

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Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Embryology

Background:

  • Mouse preimplantation embryos establish trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) precursors during the 8- to 16-cell stage transition.
  • Asymmetric division and segregation of the polar domain during the 8- to 16-cell stage generate distinct cell types: polar cells (TE precursors) and apolar cells (ICM precursors).
  • The timing of blastomere determination for asymmetric division in 8-cell stage embryos remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate when blastomeres from 8-cell stage mouse embryos become determined to undergo asymmetric division.
  • To analyze the frequency of symmetric and asymmetric divisions in isolated blastomeres before and after compaction.
  • To determine the role of cell-cell interactions in regulating division patterns.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Isolation and culture of blastomeres from 8-cell stage mouse embryos at different stages (pre-compaction and post-compaction).
  • Analysis of division patterns (symmetric vs. asymmetric) using p-Ezrin as a cortical polarity marker.
  • Comparison of division frequencies in isolated blastomeres versus intact embryos.

Main Results:

  • The size of blastomeres in 2/16 pairs is not a reliable indicator for distinguishing symmetric and asymmetric divisions.
  • At the early 8-cell stage, prior to visible cortical polarity, a subset of blastomeres are already predestined for asymmetric division.
  • Nearly all isolated 8-cell stage blastomeres from compacted embryos divide asymmetrically, while intact embryos show a significantly lower frequency of asymmetric divisions.

Conclusions:

  • Mouse embryonic blastomeres are determined for asymmetric division prior to the establishment of visible cortical polarity.
  • Cell-cell interactions in intact embryos play a crucial role in regulating the frequency of symmetric and asymmetric divisions.
  • This study reveals an early determination event and highlights the importance of the embryonic microenvironment in directing cell fate.