The effect of the nucleocytoplasmic ratio on protein synthesis and expression of a stage-specific antigen in early cleaving mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 481-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Petzoldt ◽  
A. Muggleton-Harris
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Specific Antigen ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Two Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Morula Stage ◽  
Early Mouse ◽  
Mouse Eggs

The nucleocytoplasmic ratio of fertilized mouse eggs was manipulated by removing or injecting cytoplasm by micropipette, and bisection of denuded eggs to obtain both pronuclei in one half of the eggs cytoplasm. The experimental eggs were capable of cleavage to the morula stage and, in some instances, developed to the blastocyst stage similar to unmanipulated eggs. The removal of large quantities of cytoplasm by micropipette and injecting them into a recipient egg did not provide sufficient numbers of viable eggs, whereas transfer of smaller quantities (about a quarter of the cytoplasm) was less deleterious, at least for recipient eggs. However, the alteration of the nucleocytoplasmic ratio by this method was not of the correct magnitude for the purpose of this experiment. Therefore, bisection was the preferred method whereby the nucleocytoplasmic ratio was doubled. This resulted in both pronuclei residing in one half of the egg's cytoplasm. Half eggs with one pronucleus (haploid) but retaining a nucleocytoplasmic ratio similar to unmanipulated control eggs served as additional controls for the bisection experiments. Protein synthesis was analysed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, showing that the 2-cell- and 4-cell-stage bisected embryos with double and normal nucleocytoplasmic ratio expressed equivalent protein synthesis patterns as control embryos of the same stage. Likewise, the stage-specific surface antigen SSEA-1 did not appear before the 6- to 8-cell stage. Also in cytoplasm transfer experiments, there was no indication that altering the nucleocytoplasmic ratio in either direction changed the timing of stage-specific gene expression. These results support the idea that stage-specific gene activity during early mouse cleavage might proceed in parallel to DNA replication cycles and is independent of the nucleocytoplasmic ratio.

182 EXPRESSION PATTERN OF EMBRYONIC STEM CELL-SPECIFIC microRNAs IN MOUSE PREIMPLANTATION EMBRYOS

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
T.-Y. Fu ◽  
P.-C. Tang
Keyword(s):  
Expression Pattern ◽  
Es Cells ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Preimplantation Embryos ◽  
Es Cell ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Morula Stage

The endogenous non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) of 18–25 nucleotides (nt) have been shown to involve in a wide variety of cellular processes as the posttranscriptional regulators by repression of translation or cleavage of mRNAs. In mammals, there are approximately 250 miRNAs that have been identified, and the cluster of miRNA-290 s (miR-290 s) has been demonstrated to express dramatically from the 2-cell to the 4-cell stage in mouse embryos examined from oocytes to the 8-cell stage. The association of miR-290 to 295 with pluripotency has been reported according to their specific expression in embryonic stem (ES) cells. It is interesting to explore the roles of these ES cell-specific miRNAs during the preimplantation stages and early differentiation at the blastocyst stage. Therefore, the objective of this study was to profile the expression pattern of ES cell-specific miRNAs (miR-291-5p, miR-293-3p, and miR-294-3p) from the 4-cell, 8- to 16-cell, morula, and blastocyst stages of mouse embryos. CD-1 F1 embryos at various developmental stages were collected from superovulated and naturally mated CD-1 mice. Total miRNAs of each stage analyzed were collected from 3 embryos for every replicate. Real-time RT-PCR was performed by using the specific stem-loop primers and the embryo lysate as template, which was prepared by heating in 4 μL of PBS at 95°C. Additionally, the in situ expressions of miR-291-5p, miR-293-3p, and miR-294-3p in mouse preimplantation embryos were confirmed by LNA™ probes specific for individual miRNAs. The embryo was fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde for 2 h at room temperature, followed by 3 times wash in PBST (0.1% TritonX-100 in PBS). After hybridization with individual 5′-fluorescein-labeled LNA™ probe, the embryo was washed with 0.1 × SSC, 2 × SSC, and TN buffer (0.1 m Tris-HCl, pH 7.5, 0.15 m NaCl) subsequently. The in situ expressions of miRNAs were detected by immunocytochemical reaction. The results indicated that the expressions of miR-291-5p, miR-293-3p, and miR-294-3p were up-regulated from the 4-cell to the morula stage and then down-regulated afterwards. It was found that the signals of miR-293-5p in an expanded blastocyst were weaker than those at the early blastocyst stage. However, it showed that the intensity of expression at the morula stage was 2 to 4 folds higher compared to that at the 4-cell stage in each miRNA analyzed. Also, the result showed that the ES cell-specific miRNAs examined were expressed in all cells in a blastocyst, i.e. tropectoderm and inner cell mass. In conclusion, we have established the expression profile of ES cell-specific miRNAs during preimplantation stages in mouse embryos. The specific roles of these miRNAs would be further investigated in the short future.

Cell membrane regionalization in early mouse embryos as demonstrated by 5'-nucleotidase activity

Development ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
L. Izquierdo ◽  
C. Ebensperger
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activity ◽  
Cell Membrane ◽  
External Surface ◽  
Enzyme Reaction ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Nucleotidase Activity ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Morula Stage ◽  
Selective Retention ◽  
Early Mouse

The distribution of 5'-nucleotidase activity in pre-implantation mouse embryos is studied by means ofa cytochemical method adapted from Uusitalo & Karnovsky (1977). The enzyme activity is detected, from the4-cell stage up to the morula stage, on discrete patches of the cell membane between blastomeres. Appropriatecontrols show that this distribution is not a localization artifact due to selective retention of the enzyme reaction product in the narrow interblastomeric spaces. In early blastocysts, as the blastocoel expands the enzyme activity on its lining disappears. The external surface of the trophectoderm in early blastocysts lacks any enzyme activity, whereas in late blastocysts a strong enzyme activity is detected at the embryonic trophectoderm, decreasing in intensity towards the opposite pole of the embryo. These results are compared to previous observations by other authors and the differences are mainly ascribed to differences in the cytochemical procedure employed. We conclude that during cleavage a gradual cell membrane regionalization unfolds, revealing a pattern that may be related to morphogenesis; in particular, to the localization of zonular tight junctions around the peripheral blastomeres of the morula (Izquierdo, 1977; Izquierdo, López & Marticorena, 1980).

Ago2 and GW182 expression in mouse preimplantation embryos: a link between microRNA biogenesis and GW182 protein synthesis

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xing-Hui Shen ◽  
Young-Joon Han ◽  
Xiang-Shun Cui ◽  
Nam-Hyung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Protein Synthesis ◽  
Internal Standard ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Early Embryo ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Preimplantation Embryos ◽  
Internal Reference ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Transcript Levels ◽  
Microrna Biogenesis

MicroRNA-mediated RNA interference appears to play a role in early development and differentiation processes in preimplantation embryos. However, the expression of its key effectors, including Ago2, a key component of the RNA-induced silencing complex, and GW182, a critical component of GW bodies (GWBs), has not been assessed in preimplantation embryos. To characterise the roles of Ago2 and GW182 in early embryo development, we determined their transcription and protein synthesis in mouse embryos. Transcript levels of Ago2 and GW182 increased steadily from the one-cell stage through to the blastocyst stage when data were not normalised against an internal reference. However, when normalised against the internal standard, transcript levels for both genes were highest in four-cell stage embryos and decreased steadily through to the blastocyst stage. Indirect immunocytochemistry showed that both AGO2 and GW182 proteins were expressed in each stage in the early embryo and were observed to colocalise in the morula and blastocyst stages. Specific silencing of mRNA expression by short interference (si) RNA against Ago2 or Dicer1 decreased the expression of selected apoptosis- and development-related microRNAs, but did not inhibit development up to the blastocyst stage. However, transcription levels of Oct3/4, Nanog and Sox2 were decreased in both Ago2- and Dicer1-knockdown embryos at the blastocyst stage. Furthermore, although knockdown of these genes did not change transcript levels of GW182, GW182 protein synthesis was decreased in blastocyst stage embryos. These results suggest that Ago2 and Dicer1 regulate GW182 protein expression in mouse embryos, which is linked to microRNA biogenesis and likely to be important for differentiation in the blastocyst stage.

The development of monosomy 19 mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 69 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-236
Author(s):  
Terry Magnuson ◽  
Sandra Smith ◽  
Charles J. Epstein
Keyword(s):  
Inbred Strains ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Mammalian Development ◽  
Two Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Autosomal Trisomy ◽  
Morula Stage ◽  
A Cell

In general, autosomal monosomy is lethal much earlier in mammalian development than autosomal trisomy. In an attempt to understand why monosomy is so deleterious, we have begun to characterize the development of mouse embryos monosomic for chromosome 19. A dramatic loss of monosomy 19 embryos was found to occur between days 3 and 4 of development. This loss occurred both in vivo and in vitro and with intact blastocysts or isolated inner cell masses. Experiments with inbred strains showed that this loss was not due to the expression of recessive lethal genes. While monosomic embryos were found to have fewer cells than normal and trisomic litter-mates beginning at the early morula stage, the ability to form blastocystsis not interfered with. Electron microscopy revealed no difference in the cellular ultrastructure of monosomic when compared with diploid embryos. Furthermore, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis did not reveal any differences in the proteins synthesized by monosomic, trisomic or diploid litter-mates when examined at day 3 ofdevelopment. These results indicate a lack of gross genomic disturbances in monosomic embryos. When monosomy ↔ diploid chimaeras were made, viable monosomic cells were found in day-9 post-implantation embryos, well past the lethal period. Thus, in chimaeric embryos, the normal cells appear to be able to provide whatever is lacking, suggesting that monosomy 19 is not a cell lethal. Instead, death may be due to a dosage alterationin specific gene products needed during early development.

Cell-matrix interactions in the early mouse embryo

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 600-601
Author(s):  
A.E. Sutherland ◽  
P.G. Calarco ◽  
C.H. Damsky
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Embryo ◽  
Giant Cells ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Integrin Subunit ◽  
Β1 Integrin ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Early Mouse Embryo ◽  
Migratory Activity ◽  
Early Mouse ◽  
Cell Matrix Interactions

Cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions mediated by the integrin family of receptors are critical for morphogenesis and may also play a regulatory role in differentiation during early development. We have examined the onset of expression of individual integrin subunit proteins in the early mouse embryo, and their roles in early morphogenetic events. As detected by immunoprecipitation, the α6, αV, β1, and β3 subunits are detected as early as the 4-cell stage, α5 at the hatched blastocyst stage and αl and α3 following blastocyst attachment. We tested the role of these integrins in the attachment and migratory activity of two cell populations of the early mouse embryo: the trophoblast giant cells, which invade the uterine stroma and ultimately contribute to the chorio-allantoic placenta, and the parietal endoderm, which migrates over the inner surface of the trophoblast and ultimately forms Reichert's membrane and the parietal yolk sac. Experiments were done in serum-free medium on substrates coated with laminin (Ln) and fibronectin (Fn). Trophoblast outgrowth occurs on Ln and its E8 fragment (long arm), but not on the E1’ fragment (cross region) (Figs. 1, 2 ). This outgrowth is inhibited by anti-E8, anti-Ln, and by the anti-β1 family antiserum anti-ECMR, but not by anti-αV or the function-perturbing GoH3 antibody that recognizes the α6/β1 integrin, a major Ln (E8) receptor. This suggests that trophoblast outgrowth on Ln or E8 is mediated by a different β1 integrin such as α3/β1. Early stages of trophoblast outgrowth (up to 48 hours) on Fn are inhibited by anti-Fn and by function-perturbing anti-αV antibodies, whereas at later times outgrowth becomes insensitive to anti-αV but remains sensitive to the anti-β1 family antiserum anti-ECMr, indicating that trophoblast cells modulate their interaction with Fn during outgrowth. Trophoblast outgrowth on vitronectin (Vn) is sensitive to anti-αV antibodies throughout the 5-day period examined.

Cell division and cell allocation in early mouse development

Development ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-51
Author(s):  
S. J. Kelly ◽  
J. G. Mulnard ◽  
C. F. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Cell Division ◽  
Tritiated Thymidine ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Mouse Development ◽  
Stages Of Development ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Cell Cycles ◽  
Short Cell ◽  
Early Mouse

Cell division was observed in intact and dissociated mouse embryos between the 2-cell stage and the blastocyst in embryos developing in culture. Division to the 4-cell stage was usually asynchronous. The first cell to divide to the 4-cell stage produced descendants which tended to divide ahead of those cells produced by its slow partner at all subsequent stages of development up to the blastocyte stage. The descendants of the first cell to divide to the 4-cell stage did not subsequently have short cell cycles. The first cell or last cell to divide from the 4-cell stage was labelled with tritiated thymidine. The embryo was reassembled, and it was found that the first pair of cells to reach the 8-cell stage contributed disproportionately more descendants to the ICM when compared with the last cell to divide to the 8-cell stage.

Viability and growth of mouse embryos after in vitro culture and fusion

Development ◽  
1970 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 693-704
Author(s):  
Patricia Bowman ◽  
Anne McLaren
Keyword(s):  
In Vitro Culture ◽  
Success Rate ◽  
Zona Pellucida ◽  
Growth Regulation ◽  
Excess Mortality ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Foster Mothers ◽  
Mouse Eggs

About 80 % of 8-cell mouse eggs developed to the blastocyst stage in culture, whether the zona pellucida was left intact, or removed with pronase (pre-incubated and dialysed) and the eggs then cultured singly or as fused pairs. When pronase was used without prior incubation and dialysis, the success rate was reduced to 50 %. After transfer to uterine foster-mothers, 20–30 % of apparently normal blastocysts cultured with or without the zona, singly or fused, developed into live foetuses, compared with over 50 % of control blastocysts taken directly from the uterus. Some of the excess mortality of cultured embryos took place before implantation and some soon after. The foetuses derived from cultured blastocysts averaged 0·1 g lighter than those derived from control uterine blastocysts similarly transferred. No differences in the weights of the placentae were observed. Foetal and placental weights were unaffected by whether the eggs had been cultured singly or fused, implying that growth regulation of fused embryos is complete by the 17th day of gestation. The longer the eggs were maintained in culture, the lower was their viability after transfer, and the lighter were the foetuses derived from them.

Lethality of a tritiated amino acid in early mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 209-217
Author(s):  
Janet L. Wiebold ◽  
Gary B. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Specific Activity ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Radiation Induced ◽  
Specific Activities ◽  
Tritiated Amino Acids ◽  
Early Mouse

2- to 4-cell and morula- to blastocyst-stage mouse embryos were cultured for 1 h in tritiated leucine at two specific activities and their subsequent development followed in vitro and in vivo (after transfer to recipients), respectively. 2- to 4-cell embryos that incorporated an average of 42 d.p.m. per embryo were impaired in their ability to develop to the morula and blastocyst stage. Recipients receiving morulae and blastocysts that had incorporated an average of 384 d.p.m. per embryo failed to produce young. Reduction of the specific activity improved the viability of embryos both in vitro and in vivo but development was still less than that of unlabelled embryos. Protein degradation curves were different for both 2- to 4-cell and morulato blastocyst-stage embryos labelled at the two different specific activities. Most studies using tritiated amino acids have employed higher specific activities than those used here and they may have to be reevaluated due to the possibility of radiation-induced artifacts.

Localization of cytoskeletal proteins in preimplantation mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 211-225
Author(s):  
E. Lehtonen ◽  
R. A. Badley
Keyword(s):  
Blastocyst Stage ◽  
Cytoskeletal Proteins ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Trophectoderm Cells ◽  
Apparent Concentration ◽  
Preimplantation Mouse ◽  
Early Mouse ◽  
Filament Protein

The immunofluorescence technique was used to detect the presence and distribution of actin, alpha-actinin, tubulin and 10 nm filament protein in early mouse embryos. Actin and alpha-actinin stainings showed a distinct concentration to a peripheral layer in the cleavage-stage blastomeres and in trophectoderm cells. Dots of fluorescence appeared in this cortical staining pattern. The distribution of tubulin staining in the blastomere cytoplasm was relatively even with apparent concentration at the perinuclear region and frequently at wide intercellular contact areas. 10 nm filament protein was distributed evenly in the blastomere cytoplasm without cortical concentration of the label. At the blastocyst stage, the trophectoderm cells in blastocyst outgrowths in vitro developed well organized cytoskeletons including both microfilament, microtubule and 10 nm filament elements. Comparable structures were not observed in blastocysts in vivo, or in late hatched blastocysts cultured in suspension. The morphogenetic significance of the observations is discussed.

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