Development of mouse—bank vole interspecific chimaeric embryos

Development ◽  
1975 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 731-744
Author(s):  
Ewa T. Mystkowska
Keyword(s):  
Bank Vole ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Somite Stage ◽  
Trophoblastic Cells ◽  
Reichert's Membrane ◽  
Ectoplacental Cone ◽  
Heavy Mortality

One bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus) embryo and two mouse embryos were combined at the 8- to 16-blastomere stage and cultured in vitro for 33–47 h. In 66% of cases single regular blastocysts were formed. The chimaeric composition of blastocysts was confirmed karyologically. Out of the 222 blastocysts transplanted to 49 pseudopregnant mouse recipients, a total of 52 implantations were found in 20 recipients. Among the 52 implantations, 14 contained embryos and the remaining were resorptions. The majority of embryos were abnormal and fell into two categories: (1) groups of cells surrounded by Reichert's membrane and lying freely in a cavity filled with giant trophoblastic cells, (2) small and retarded eggcylinders usually composed of endoderm and ectoderm only, and containing a proamniotic cavity. The ectoplacental cone of these embryos was poorly developed or lacking altogether. Two normal-looking embryos were recovered on the 9th and 10th day (4-somite and ca. 12-somite stage). Chimaerism of the younger embryo was confirmed karyologically. No evidence of chimaerism was available in the case of older embryo which was examined histologically. Thirteen implantations examined between 11th and 17th day contained only resorptions. It is suggested that the main cause of the heavy mortality of chimaeric embryos is the profound difference in the course of embryogenesis of these two species immediately following implantation.

scholarly journals Adaptive phylogeography: functional divergence between haemoglobins derived from different glacial refugia in the bank vole

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1786) ◽  
pp. 20140021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petr Kotlík ◽  
Silvia Marková ◽  
Libor Vojtek ◽  
Antonín Stratil ◽  
Vlastimil Šlechta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bank Vole ◽  
Functional Divergence ◽  
Globin Gene ◽  
Glacial Refugia ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Adaptive Divergence ◽  
Northern Latitudes ◽  
Northern Areas ◽  
Source Populations

Over the years, researchers have used presumptively neutral molecular variation to infer the origins of current species' distributions in northern latitudes (especially Europe). However, several reported examples of genic and chromosomal replacements suggest that end-glacial colonizations of particular northern areas may have involved genetic input from different source populations at different times, coupled with competition and selection. We investigate the functional consequences of differences between two bank vole ( Clethrionomys glareolus ) haemoglobins deriving from different glacial refugia, one of which partially replaced the other in Britain during end-glacial climate warming. This allows us to examine their adaptive divergence and hence a possible role of selection in the replacement. We determine the amino acid substitution Ser52Cys in the major expressed β-globin gene as the allelic difference. We use structural modelling to reveal that the protein environment renders the 52Cys thiol a highly reactive functional group and we show its reactivity in vitro . We demonstrate that possessing the reactive thiol in haemoglobin increases the resistance of bank vole erythrocytes to oxidative stress. Our study thus provides striking evidence for physiological differences between products of genic variants that spread at the expense of one another during colonization of an area from different glacial refugia.

Properties of extra-embryonic ectoderm isolated from postimplantation mouse embryos

Development ◽  
1977 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-194
Author(s):  
J. Rossant ◽  
L. Ofer
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Embryo ◽  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Giant Cells ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Common Origin ◽  
Trophoblast Giant Cells ◽  
Embryonic Ectoderm ◽  
Ectoplacental Cone

Extra-embryonic ectoderm isolated from the mouse embryo as late as 8½ days post coitum can form cells with the morphological characteristics of trophoblast giant cells both in ectopic sites and in vitro. This similarity to the properties of ectoplacental cone tissue provides further support for the postulated common origin of both tissues from the trophectoderm of the blastocyst.

PLACENTAL LACTOGEN (CHORIONIC MAMMOTROPHIN) IN THE FIELD VOLE, MICROTUS AGRESTIS, AND THE BANK VOLE, CLETHRIONOMYS GLAREOLUS

1976 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
ISABEL A. FORSYTH ◽  
LAURA A. BLAKE
Keyword(s):  
Bank Vole ◽  
Giant Cells ◽  
Culture Technique ◽  
Cross Reaction ◽  
Clethrionomys Glareolus ◽  
Placental Lactogen ◽  
Microtus Agrestis ◽  
Field Vole ◽  
Immunological Cross Reaction

SUMMARY Placental lactogen has been detected in the field vole, Microtus agrestis, and the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus, using a co-culture technique. In field voles this activity could be detected from about day 8 of pregnancy to shortly before term, and stimulated both mouse and vole mammary gland to secrete in vitro. Partial immunological cross-reaction was detected in a radioimmunoassay system between rat prolactin and either extracts of vole pituitaries or media on which vole pituitaries had been cultured; vole placental lactogen showed no cross-reaction with rat prolactin. One site of origin for this hormone is probably the trophoblastic giant cells.

Molecular studies on cells of the trophectodermal lineage of the postimplantation mouse embryo

Development ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-116
Author(s):  
M. H. Johnson ◽  
J. Rossant
Keyword(s):  
Giant Cells ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Ploidy Levels ◽  
Polypeptide Synthesis ◽  
Diploid Cells ◽  
Embryonic Ectoderm ◽  
Ectoplacental Cone ◽  
Synthetic Profile

Embryonic ectoderm (EmE), extraembryonic ectoderm (EE), ectoplacental cone diploid cells (EPC) and secondary giant cells (GC) were isolated from 7½-day mouse embryos and their polypeptide synthetic profile assessed by fluorography of 2D polyacrylamide gels. Fifty polypeptides showed different distributions amongst the tissues, permitting characterization of each tissue by an array of polypeptide marken; typical for the tissue at that developmental stage. The three tissues on the presumptive trophectoderm lineage did not show identical synthetic patterns. However, culture of EE cells in vitro resulted in conversion of their polypeptide synthetic profile to that of EPC after 2 days and of GC after 6 days, whilst culture of EPC cells converted their polypeptide synthetic profile to that of GC after only 4 days. These changes in polypeptide synthesis correlated well with the ploidy levels of the tissues at different times in culture.

scholarly journals Totipotency of mouse zygotes extends to single blastomeres of embryos at the four-cell stage

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marino Maemura ◽  
Hiroaki Taketsuru ◽  
Yuki Nakajima ◽  
Ruiqi Shao ◽  
Ayaka Kakihara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inner Cell Mass ◽  
Cell Mass ◽  
Mouse Embryos ◽  
Primitive Endoderm ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Mouse Zygotes ◽  
Single Blastomeres ◽  
Multicellular Organisms

AbstractIn multicellular organisms, oocytes and sperm undergo fusion during fertilization and the resulting zygote gives rise to a new individual. The ability of zygotes to produce a fully formed individual from a single cell when placed in a supportive environment is known as totipotency. Given that totipotent cells are the source of all multicellular organisms, a better understanding of totipotency may have a wide-ranging impact on biology. The precise delineation of totipotent cells in mammals has remained elusive, however, although zygotes and single blastomeres of embryos at the two-cell stage have been thought to be the only totipotent cells in mice. We now show that a single blastomere of two- or four-cell mouse embryos can give rise to a fertile adult when placed in a uterus, even though blastomere isolation disturbs the transcriptome of derived embryos. Single blastomeres isolated from embryos at the eight-cell or morula stages and cultured in vitro manifested pronounced defects in the formation of epiblast and primitive endoderm by the inner cell mass and in the development of blastocysts, respectively. Our results thus indicate that totipotency of mouse zygotes extends to single blastomeres of embryos at the four-cell stage.

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