Synthesis and distribution of carbohydrate chains in cleavage-stage mouse embryos carrying the t12 lethal mutation

Carbohydrate chains on the t12 mutant embryos were analyzed. No abnormalities of the synthesis of the carbohydrate chains were observed in the t12 homozygotes until the late morula stage, when radiolabeled carbohydrate chains were analyzed by Sephadex G-50 column chromatography. Furthermore, polarization of the Con A receptor occurred normally at the eight-cell stage. Therefore, the possible defects of the carbohydrate chains on the t12 embryos were suggested to be neither gross abnormality of the synthesis nor abnormal localization on the surface, but rather minor structural changes on a specific molecule.