Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 27, 2025
08:43
Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos
Published on: June 6, 2016
8.9K
Persistent Nucleoli in Early Postimplantation of Rat Embryos
Ikuo K Takeuchi1, Yoshiko K Takeuchi2
1Department of Embryology, Institute for Developmental Research, Aichi Prefectural Colony, Kasugai, Aichi 480-03, Japan.
Development, Growth & Differentiation
|June 7, 2023
Summary
During rapid cell division in embryonic development, nucleoli break down and sometimes persist as fragments in telophase cells. These persistent nucleoli shrink and disappear as embryos mature.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology
- Embryology
Background:
- The nucleolus is a key organelle involved in ribosome biogenesis.
- Understanding nucleolar dynamics during rapid embryonic cell division is crucial for developmental processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ultrastructural changes of the nucleolus in mitotic embryonic ectodermal cells.
- To characterize the phenomenon of persistent nucleoli in early rat embryos.
Main Methods:
- Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine embryonic ectodermal cells.
- Ultrastructural analysis focused on nucleolar morphology during different stages of mitosis.
Main Results:
- Nucleoli fragmented during late prophase and metaphase in embryonic ectodermal cells.
- Persistent nucleoli, fragments of the original nucleolus, were observed in telophase cells.
- These persistent nucleoli were also found in other embryonic tissues but diminished with increasing embryonic age.
Conclusions:
- Persistent nucleoli are remnants of nucleoli in rapidly dividing embryonic cells.
- The presence and size of persistent nucleoli decrease as embryonic development progresses.
- This phenomenon reflects the challenges of complete nucleolar disassembly in highly proliferative embryonic cells.
