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Developmental progression continues during embryonic diapause in the roe deer
Anna B Rüegg1, Vera A van der Weijden1,2, João Agostinho de Sousa3
1ETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Zurich, Switzerland.
Communications Biology
|March 5, 2024
Summary
Mammalian embryonic diapause involves a developmental delay. Roe deer embryos continuously proliferate and change shape during diapause, indicating ongoing development rather than a complete arrest.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- Developmental biology
- Mammalian embryology
Background:
- Embryonic diapause is a temporary delay in mammalian development at the blastocyst stage.
- Unlike other species with full developmental arrest, roe deer embryos show continuous proliferation and morphological changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if developmental progression continues during embryonic diapause in the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus).
- To correlate gene expression patterns and cell polarity with morphological changes during diapause and elongation.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mRNA abundance of developmental marker genes in embryos during diapause and elongation.
- Immunohistochemical staining to support gene expression findings.
Main Results:
- Morphological rearrangements of the epiblast during diapause correlate with specific gene expression patterns and changes in cell polarity.
- Primitive endoderm formation occurs during diapause in roe deer embryos (around 3,000 cells).
- Gastrulation coincides with embryo elongation, occurring after diapause reactivation.
Conclusions:
- Roe deer embryos exhibit continuous development, including proliferation and differentiation, during diapause.
- This species serves as a valuable model for understanding the interplay between proliferation and differentiation in early mammalian development and embryo survival.
