Developmental variability within and between mouse expanding blastocysts and their ICMs

We have attempted to reduce the developmental heterogeneity amongst populations of mouse blastocysts by synchronizing embryos to the first visible signs of blastocoel formation. Using embryos timed in this way, we have examined the extent of variation of inside and outside cell number and of inside cell size, nuclear DNA content and developmental potential, between and within embryos of a similar age postcavitation. The overall impression gained is one of wide heterogeneity in inside:outside cell number ratios and in cell cycling and its relation to cavitation among embryos of similar age postcavitation. However, the simplest explanation of our results suggests that cavitation generally begins at a time when most outside cells are in their sixth developmental cell cycle and that outside cells, as a population, are a little ahead of inside cells in their cell cycling. Additionally we present evidence that, within at least some individual inner cell masses (ICM), there is intraembryo variation in the time at which inside cell developmental potential becomes restricted.