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Contribution of midbody channels to embryogenesis in the mouse : Analysis by immunofluorescence
Gerald M Kidder1, Douglas J Barron1, Joanna B Olmsted2
1Cell Science Laboratories, Department of Zoology, The University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London, Ontario, Canada.
Insights
Midbody channels in mouse embryos rarely persist beyond one cell division. This suggests they primarily connect sister blastomeres, not provide extensive cell coupling before gap junctions form.
Area of Science:
- Cell Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Embryogenesis
Background:
- Midbodies are transient structures formed after cell division.
- Cell-cell communication is crucial during early embryonic development.
- Gap junctions are known mediators of intercellular communication.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the persistence of midbody channels across multiple cleavage cycles in mouse embryos.
- To determine the extent of cell coupling mediated by midbodies during early development.
Main Methods:
- Immunofluorescence microscopy to map midbody microtubule bundles in intact mouse embryos.
- Electron microscopy to characterize midbody structure during interphase.
- Analysis of midbody presence relative to blastomere number and cell cycle stage.
Main Results:
- Midbody microtubule bundles are characteristic features of midbodies during interphase.
- The number of midbodies decreased as the next cleavage approached, indicating they do not persist.
- Less than 4% of blastomeres in mitosis were connected by a midbody, showing rare persistence beyond one cycle.
Conclusions:
- Midbody channels in mouse embryos likely connect only sister blastomeres due to limited persistence.
- Midbody channels do not provide extensive cell coupling prior to the establishment of gap junctional communication.
Abstract:
We have examined the persistence of midbody channels during the second, third, and fourth cleavage cycles of the mouse using immunofluorescence to map the distribution of midbody microtubule bundles in intact embryos. Electron microscopy showed these bundles to be a characteristic feature of midbodies throughout the interphase period. In recently-divided embryos at each cleavage stage the number of midbodies was half the number of blastomeres, and declined towards zero as the next cleavage approached. This indicated to us that the only midbodies present in each stage were those which had arisen in the immediately-preceding division. Of those blastomeres which were in mitosis at the time of fixation, less than 4% were connected via a midbody to another blastomere, demonstrating that persistence of midbodies beyond a single cleavage cycle is a rare event. We conclude that midbody channels in our embryos are likely to connect only pairs of sister blastomeres because midbodies do not persist through multiple cleavage cycles. Midbody channels cannot, therefore, be regarded as providing extensive cell coupling in advance of the onset of gap junctional communication.
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