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A maternal genetic effect on the composition of mouse aggregation chimaeras
J D West1, J H Flockhart, A Kissenpfennig
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Edinburgh, UK.
Genetical Research
|February 1, 1995
Summary
Maternal genetic effects influence mouse embryo development, impacting their contribution to chimaeric conceptuses. This suggests a pre-implantation maternal effect, possibly via cytoplasmic inheritance or genomic imprinting, affects embryo development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Maternal Effects
Background:
- Mouse chimaeric conceptuses were created by aggregating embryos with differing glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI-1) loci.
- Understanding genetic contributions to embryonic development is crucial for developmental biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of maternal genetic background on the contribution of embryos to chimaeric conceptuses.
- To identify the stage at which maternal effects influence embryonic development.
Main Methods:
- Production of two series of mouse chimaeric conceptuses by aggregating preimplantation embryos.
- Quantitative electrophoresis to determine the percentage of GPI-1A in chimaeric tissues.
- Comparison of chimaera composition across different genetic backgrounds.
Main Results:
- Chimaeras derived from BALB/c mothers showed reduced contribution to conceptus tissues compared to those from (BC x BALB/c)F1 mothers.
- A maternal genetic effect was identified, influencing chimaera composition.
- This effect acts before the 8-cell stage of embryonic development.
Conclusions:
- A maternal genetic effect significantly impacts embryonic contribution to chimaeric conceptuses.
- The maternal effect likely operates before the 8-cell stage, potentially through cytoplasmic inheritance, genomic imprinting, or the reproductive tract.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise mechanism of this maternal effect.