Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Analysis of compaction, allocation, and outgrowth in the early mouse embryo

Thesis/Dissertation ·
OSTI ID:6070413
Examination of the process of compaction by cinemicrography, and by the use of cytoskeleton-disrupting agents showed it to be a variable, progressive event, dependent on microfilaments both for cell flattering and for polarization of surface microvilli. Examination of the subsequent cleavage division by cinemicrography revealed that there are three major planes of division, and made possible the determination of their relative frequencies during fourth cleavage. Attachment and trophoblast outgrowth on substrates of extracellular matrix molecules was found to involve a group of 140 kD glycoproteins. Addition to the culture medium of a synthetic peptide containing the Arg-Gly-Asp tripeptide cell recognition sequence of fibronectin inhibited trophoblasts outgrowth, but not attachment, on both laminin and fibronectin. Immunoprecipitation of /sup 125/I surface-labeled embryos revealed that the 140 kD glycoproteins are exposed on the surfaces of embryos during outgrowth formation, but are not detectable immediately after hatching. Immunofluorescence experiments showed that the 140 kD glycoproteins and the cytoskeletal proteins vinculin and talin are enriched on the cell processes and ventral surfaces of trophoblasts cells in embryo outgrowths, in patterns similar to those seen in fibroblasts, and consistent with their role in adhesion of the trophoblasts cells to the substratum.
Research Organization:
California Univ., San Francisco (USA)
OSTI ID:
6070413
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English