Diploid mouse embryos constructed at the late 2-cell stage from haploid parthenotes and androgenotes can develop to...

Male and female gamete nuclei are required to ensure the full-term development of the mouse embryo. Differential expression of the two genomes has been proposed as the basis for this requirement. In order to investigate whether some interactions between the paternal and the maternal genomes are essential before or at the time of the activation of the embryonic genome, we have constructed diploid embryos from haploid parthenotes and androgenotes at the late 2-cell stage. These embryos developed to term into normal offsprings. This shows that the male and the female genomes can be activated separately and are still able to ensure complete development when put together in cytoplasm synchronized with the nuclei. These experiments also show that the egg cytoplasm does not need any male contribution before the late 2-cell stage.