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Cell identity in the preimplantation mammalian embryo: An epigenetic perspective from the mouse.
Hum. Reprod. 23, 1246-1252 (2008)
The early preimplantation mouse embryo is a unique system where it is possible to explore the foundations of totipotency and differentiation. Following fertilization, a single cell, the zygote, will give rise to all tissues of the organism. The first signs of differentiation in the embryo are evident at the blastocyst stage with the formation of the trophectoderm, a differentiated tissue that envelopes the inner cell mass. The question of when and how the cells start to be different from each other in the embryo is central to developmental biology: as cell fate decisions are undertaken, loss of totipotency comes about. Although the blastomeres of the preimplantation embryo are totipotent, as the embryo develops some differences appear to develop between them which are, at least partially, related to the epigenetic information of each of these cells. The hypothesis of epigenetic asymmetries acting as driver for lineage allocation is presented. Although there are now some indications that epigenetic mechanisms are involved in cell fate determination, much work is needed to discover how such mechanisms are set in play upon fertilization and how they are transmitted through cell division. These considerations are further discussed in the context of preimplantation genetic diagnosis: does it matter to the embryo which cell is used for genetic diagnosis? The exquisite complexity and richness of chromatin-regulated events in the early embryo will certainly be the subject of exciting research in the future.
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Publication type
Article: Journal article
Document type
Scientific Article
Language
english
Publication Year
2008
HGF-reported in Year
0
ISSN (print) / ISBN
0268-1161
e-ISSN
1460-2350
Journal
Human Reproduction
Quellenangaben
Volume: 23,
Issue: 6,
Pages: 1246-1252
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Reviewing status
Peer reviewed
Institute(s)
Institute of Epigenetics and Stem Cells (IES)
POF-Topic(s)
30204 - Cell Programming and Repair
Research field(s)
Stem Cell and Neuroscience
PSP Element(s)
G-506200-001
PubMed ID
18272526
Erfassungsdatum
2008-12-31