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Kang SM, Idrees M, Perera CD, Lee SH, Zhang M, Yu X, Jin Y, Kong IK. GDF-8 improves in vitro implantation and cryo-tolerance by stimulating the ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling in bovine IVF embryo development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2024; 12:1345669. [PMID: 38577502 PMCID: PMC10991729 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2024.1345669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) plays a critical role in regulating trophoblast invasion and proliferation. Growth differentiation factor-8 (GDF-8) is a member of the TGF-β superfamily and is categorized as a myostatin subtype. It is primarily a secreted protein synthesized in skeletal muscle cells. It is expressed in the placenta, reproductive tissues, and cells. In this study, we investigated the role of GDF-8 in the development and hatching rate of bovine embryos. We noted a notable elevation (p < 0.05) in the development and hatching rates compared to the control embryos. Furthermore, the GDF-8 group showed a significantly improved total cell number (p < 0.05) and an increase in trophectoderm ratio inner cell mass (trophectoderm: inner cell mass) cells (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Additionally, blastocysts treated with GDF-8 exhibited significantly higher mRNA levels of caudal-type homeobox 2 (CDX2) (p < 0.05). The trophoblast invasion area was significantly larger in the GDF-8 group than in the control group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis revealed significantly higher mRNA levels (p < 0.05) of matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9) and follistatin-like 3(FSTL3), both of which are associated with the ALK5-SMAD2/3 signaling pathway, in the GDF-8 group than those in the control group. The mRNA expression levels of genes related to tight junctions (TJ) and adherent junctions were higher in the GDF-8 group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). After 24 h of thawing, blastocysts were analyzed using 4-kDa FITC-dextran, which revealed a higher TJ integrity in the GDF-8 group (p < 0.01). Thus, GDF-8 plays a crucial role in bovine embryonic development, in vitro implantation, and cryotolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seon-Min Kang
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Graduate School of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Muhammad Idrees
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Graduate School of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Division of Animal Science, Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Chalani Dilshani Perera
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Graduate School of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Seo-Hyun Lee
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Graduate School of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
| | - Mingjun Zhang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Model, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianfeng Yu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Model, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yongxun Jin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Model, College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Il-Keun Kong
- Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Graduate School of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
- Division of Animal Science, Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
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2
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Speckhart SL, Oliver MA, Ealy AD. Developmental Hurdles That Can Compromise Pregnancy during the First Month of Gestation in Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1760. [PMID: 37889637 PMCID: PMC10251927 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several key developmental events are associated with early embryonic pregnancy losses in beef and dairy cows. These developmental problems are observed at a greater frequency in pregnancies generated from in-vitro-produced bovine embryos. This review describes critical problems that arise during oocyte maturation, fertilization, early embryonic development, compaction and blastulation, embryonic cell lineage specification, elongation, gastrulation, and placentation. Additionally, discussed are potential remediation strategies, but unfortunately, corrective actions are not available for several of the problems being discussed. Further research is needed to produce bovine embryos that have a greater likelihood of surviving to term.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alan D. Ealy
- School of Animal Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (S.L.S.); (M.A.O.)
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3
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Martínez N, Damiano AE. Aquaporins in Fetal Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1398:251-266. [PMID: 36717499 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-7415-1_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Water homeostasis is essential for fetal growth, and it depends on the successful development of the placenta. Many aquaporins (AQPs) were identified from blastocyst stages to term placenta. In the last years, cytokines, hormones, second messengers, intracellular pH, and membrane proteins were found to regulate their expression and function in the human placenta and fetal membranes. Accumulated data suggest that these proteins may be involved not only in the maintenance of the amniotic fluid volume homeostasis but also in the development of the placenta and fetal organs. In this sense, dysregulation of placental AQPs is associated with gestational disorders. Thus, current evidence shows that AQPs may collaborate in cellular events including trophoblast migration and apoptosis. In addition, aquaglyceroporins are involved in energy metabolism as well as urea elimination across the placenta. In the last year, the presence of AQP9 in trophoblast mitochondria opened new hypotheses about its role in pregnancy. However, much further work is needed to understand the importance of these proteins in human pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Martínez
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay (IFIBIO)-CONICET-Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alicia E Damiano
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay (IFIBIO)-CONICET-Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
- Cátedra de Biología Celulary Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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4
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Gene Expression of Aquaporins (AQPs) in Cumulus Oocytes Complex and Embryo of Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2022; 13:ani13010098. [PMID: 36611707 PMCID: PMC9817902 DOI: 10.3390/ani13010098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are proteins with various functions related to proper cell function and early development in mammals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of AQPs and determine their mRNA levels in the cumulus oocyte complex (COC) of four bovine breeds and in blastocysts of five bovine crosses. Grade I, II and III COCs were collected by ovum pick up from non-lactating heifers of the Brahaman, Holstein, Gir and Romosinuano breeds. Embryos were produced in vitro up to the blastocyst stage of the bovine ♀Gir × ♂Holstein, ♀Holstein × ♂Gir, ♀Brahman × ♂Holstein, ♀Holstein × ♂Brahman, and ♀Romosinuano × ♂Holstein crosses. mRNA expression of AQP1-AQP12b was estimated in COC and embryos by real-time-PCR. The presence of the twelve AQPs in the COCs and bovine embryos was established. Additionally, significant differences were determined in the expression of AQP6 and AQP12b in COCs, as well as in transcripts levels of AQP4, AQP8 and AQP9 from bovine embryos. Gene expression of AQPs in COCs and bovine embryos is consistent with the previously described biological functions. This is the first report of AQPs in COC of Gir, Brahman, Holstein and Romosinuano and embryos of five crossbreeds between Bos indicus and B. taurus.
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5
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Kim YS, Bedzhov I. Mechanisms of formation and functions of the early embryonic cavities. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 131:110-116. [PMID: 35513973 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.04.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
As the early mouse embryo develops, fundamental steps include the sequential formation of the first lumens in the murine conceptus. The first cavity established in the pre-implantation embryo is the blastocoel, followed by the emergence of the proamniotic cavity during the peri-implantation stages. The mouse embryo is a dynamic system which switches its modes of lumenogenesis before and after implantation. The blastocoel emerges in between the basolateral membranes, whereas the proamniotic cavity is formed on the apical interface. Defects in the sculpting of these luminal spaces are associated with developmental abnormalities and embryonic lethality. Here, we review the mechanisms by which these early embryonic cavities are formed and discuss the cavities in terms of their common and stage-specific principles of lumenogenesis and their functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yung Su Kim
- Embryonic Self-Organization Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstraße 20, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ivan Bedzhov
- Embryonic Self-Organization Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Röntgenstraße 20, 48149 Münster, Germany.
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Zieger E, Schwaha T, Burger K, Bergheim I, Wanninger A, Calcino AD. Midbody-Localized Aquaporin Mediates Intercellular Lumen Expansion During Early Cleavage of an Invasive Freshwater Bivalve. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:894434. [PMID: 35774230 PMCID: PMC9237387 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.894434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Intercellular lumen formation is a crucial aspect of animal development and physiology that involves a complex interplay between the molecular and physical properties of the constituent cells. Embryos of the invasive freshwater mussel Dreissena rostriformis are ideal models for studying this process due to the large intercellular cavities that readily form during blastomere cleavage. Using this system, we show that recruitment of the transmembrane water channel protein aquaporin exclusively to the midbody of intercellular cytokinetic bridges is critical for lumenogenesis. The positioning of aquaporin-positive midbodies thereby influences the direction of cleavage cavity expansion. Notably, disrupting cytokinetic bridge microtubules impairs not only lumenogenesis but also cellular osmoregulation. Our findings reveal a simple mechanism that provides tight spatial and temporal control over the formation of luminal structures and likely plays an important role in water homeostasis during early cleavage stages of a freshwater invertebrate species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Zieger
- Integrative Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Andreas Wanninger, ; Andrew D. Calcino, ; Elisabeth Zieger,
| | - Thomas Schwaha
- Integrative Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Burger
- Molecular Nutritional Science, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ina Bergheim
- Molecular Nutritional Science, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Wanninger
- Integrative Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Andreas Wanninger, ; Andrew D. Calcino, ; Elisabeth Zieger,
| | - Andrew D. Calcino
- Integrative Zoology, Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- *Correspondence: Andreas Wanninger, ; Andrew D. Calcino, ; Elisabeth Zieger,
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7
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Aquaporins and Animal Gamete Cryopreservation: Advances and Future Challenges. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030359. [PMID: 35158682 PMCID: PMC8833750 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cryopreservation is the method for the long-term preservation of gametes and embryos. In recent years, intensive research has focused on improving cryopreservation protocols for the determination of optimal freezing conditions and cryoprotective agents’ concentration for each cell type. The optimal cryopreservation protocol comprises the adequate balance between the freezing rate and the correct concentration of cryoprotective agents to achieve controlled cellular dehydration and minimal intracellular ice formation. Osmoregulation is, therefore, central in cryobiology. Water and some solutes can cross the plasma membrane, whereas facilitating transport takes a great part in intracellular/extracellular fluid homeostasis. Cells express water channels known as aquaporins that facilitate the transport of water and small uncharged solutes on their plasma membrane, including some cryoprotective agents. This review explores the expression and the function of aquaporins in gametes and embryos. In addition, the putative role of aquaporins for cryopreservation procedures is discussed. Abstract Cryopreservation is globally used as a method for long-term preservation, although freeze-thawing procedures may strongly impair the gamete function. The correct cryopreservation procedure is characterized by the balance between freezing rate and cryoprotective agents (CPAs), which minimizes cellular dehydration and intracellular ice formation. For this purpose, osmoregulation is a central process in cryopreservation. During cryopreservation, water and small solutes, including penetrating cryoprotective agents, cross the plasma membrane. Aquaporins (AQPs) constitute a family of channel proteins responsible for the transport of water, small solutes, and certain gases across biological membranes. Thirteen homologs of AQPs (AQP0-12) have been described. AQPs are widely distributed throughout the male and female reproductive systems, including the sperm and oocyte membrane. The composition of the male and female gamete membrane is of special interest for assisted reproductive techniques (ART), including cryopreservation. In this review, we detail the mechanisms involved in gamete cryopreservation, including the most used techniques and CPAs. In addition, the expression and function of AQPs in the male and female gametes are explored, highlighting the potential protective role of AQPs against damage induced during cryopreservation.
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8
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Liu Y, Jones C, Coward K. An investigation of mechanisms underlying mouse blastocyst hatching: a ribonucleic acid sequencing study. F&S SCIENCE 2022; 3:35-48. [PMID: 35559994 DOI: 10.1016/j.xfss.2021.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the regulatory mechanisms and signaling molecules underlying hatching in mouse embryos. DESIGN Experimental laboratory study using a mouse embryo model. SETTING University-based basic scientific research laboratory. ANIMALS A total of 40 B6C3F1 × B6D2F1 mouse embryos were used in this study. INTERVENTION(S) Frozen/thawed mouse embryos, at the 8-cell stage, were cultured in vitro for 2 days. The resulting hatching and prehatching blastocysts were then used for complementary deoxyribonucleic acid (cDNA) library preparation and ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequencing analysis (n = 8 for each group). Differentially expressed genes were then used for downstream functional analysis. In addition, a list of genes related to developmental progression in humans was used to identify genes that were potentially related to the hatching of human embryos. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Differentially expressed genes, enriched Gene Ontology terms and canonical pathways, clustered gene networks, activated upstream regulators, and common genes between a gene list of hatching-related genes in mice and a gene list associated with developmental progression in humans. RESULT(S) A total 275 differentially expressed genes were identified between hatching and prehatching blastocysts: 230 up-regulated and 45 down-regulated genes. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that blastocyst hatching in vitro is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent process that involves protein biosynthesis and organization of the cytoskeleton. Furthermore, by regulating cell motility, the RhoA signaling pathway (including Arpc2, Cfl1, Gsn, Pfn1, Tpi1, Grb2, Tmsb10, Enah, and Rnd3 genes) may be a crucial signaling pathway during hatching. We also identified a cluster of genes (Krt8, Krt7, Cldn4, and Aqp3) that exerted functional roles in cell-cell junctions and water homeostasis during hatching. Moreover, some growth factors (angiotensinogen and fibroblast growth factor 2) and endocrine factors (estrogen receptor and prolactin) were predicted to be involved in the regulation of embryo hatching. In addition, we identified 81 potential genes that are potentially involved in the hatching process in human embryos. CONCLUSION(S) Our analysis identified potential genes and molecular regulatory pathways involved in the blastocyst hatching process in mice; we also identified genes that may potentially regulate hatching in human embryos. Our findings enhance our knowledge of embryo development and provide useful information for further exploring the mechanisms underlying embryo hatching.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaqiong Liu
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Celine Jones
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin Coward
- Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive Health, University of Oxford, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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9
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Le Verge-Serandour M, Turlier H. A hydro-osmotic coarsening theory of biological cavity formation. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009333. [PMID: 34478457 PMCID: PMC8445475 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluid-filled biological cavities are ubiquitous, but their collective dynamics has remained largely unexplored from a physical perspective. Based on experimental observations in early embryos, we propose a model where a cavity forms through the coarsening of myriad of pressurized micrometric lumens, that interact by ion and fluid exchanges through the intercellular space. Performing extensive numerical simulations, we find that hydraulic fluxes lead to a self-similar coarsening of lumens in time, characterized by a robust dynamic scaling exponent. The collective dynamics is primarily controlled by hydraulic fluxes, which stem from lumen pressures differences and are dampened by water permeation through the membrane. Passive osmotic heterogeneities play, on the contrary, a minor role on cavity formation but active ion pumping can largely modify the coarsening dynamics: it prevents the lumen network from a collective collapse and gives rise to a novel coalescence-dominated regime exhibiting a distinct scaling law. Interestingly, we prove numerically that spatially biasing ion pumping may be sufficient to position the cavity, suggesting a novel mode of symmetry breaking to control tissue patterning. Providing generic testable predictions, our model forms a comprehensive theoretical basis for hydro-osmotic interaction between biological cavities, that shall find wide applications in embryo and tissue morphogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Le Verge-Serandour
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR7241, INSERM U1050, Paris, France
| | - Hervé Turlier
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology, Collège de France, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR7241, INSERM U1050, Paris, France
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10
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Karasek C, Ashry M, Driscoll CS, Knott JG. A tale of two cell-fates: role of the Hippo signaling pathway and transcription factors in early lineage formation in mouse preimplantation embryos. Mol Hum Reprod 2021; 26:653-664. [PMID: 32647873 PMCID: PMC7473788 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaaa052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, the first cell-fate decision occurs during preimplantation embryo development when the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineages are established. The ICM develops into the embryo proper, while the TE lineage forms the placenta. The underlying molecular mechanisms that govern lineage formation involve cell-to-cell interactions, cell polarization, cell signaling and transcriptional regulation. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding regarding the cellular and molecular events that regulate lineage formation in mouse preimplantation embryos with an emphasis on cell polarity and the Hippo signaling pathway. Moreover, we will provide an overview on some of the molecular tools that are used to manipulate the Hippo pathway and study cell-fate decisions in early embryos. Lastly, we will provide exciting future perspectives on transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that modulate the activity of the Hippo pathway in preimplantation embryos to ensure robust lineage segregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Challis Karasek
- Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Mohamed Ashry
- Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Chad S Driscoll
- Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Jason G Knott
- Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Reproductive and Developmental Sciences Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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11
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Gerri C, Menchero S, Mahadevaiah SK, Turner JMA, Niakan KK. Human Embryogenesis: A Comparative Perspective. Annu Rev Cell Dev Biol 2021; 36:411-440. [PMID: 33021826 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cellbio-022020-024900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Understanding human embryology has historically relied on comparative approaches using mammalian model organisms. With the advent of low-input methods to investigate genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and efficient techniques to assess gene function, we can now study the human embryo directly. These advances have transformed the investigation of early embryogenesis in nonrodent species, thereby providing a broader understanding of conserved and divergent mechanisms. Here, we present an overview of the major events in human preimplantation development and place them in the context of mammalian evolution by comparing these events in other eutherian and metatherian species. We describe the advances of studies on postimplantation development and discuss stem cell models that mimic postimplantation embryos. A comparative perspective highlights the importance of analyzing different organisms with molecular characterization and functional studies to reveal the principles of early development. This growing field has a fundamental impact in regenerative medicine and raises important ethical considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Gerri
- Human Embryo and Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom;
| | - Sergio Menchero
- Sex Chromosome Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom;
| | - Shantha K Mahadevaiah
- Sex Chromosome Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom;
| | - James M A Turner
- Sex Chromosome Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom;
| | - Kathy K Niakan
- Human Embryo and Stem Cell Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United Kingdom;
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12
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Abstract
The cytoskeleton - comprising actin filaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments - serves instructive roles in regulating cell function and behaviour during development. However, a key challenge in cell and developmental biology is to dissect how these different structures function and interact in vivo to build complex tissues, with the ultimate aim to understand these processes in a mammalian organism. The preimplantation mouse embryo has emerged as a primary model system for tackling this challenge. Not only does the mouse embryo share many morphological similarities with the human embryo during its initial stages of life, it also permits the combination of genetic manipulations with live-imaging approaches to study cytoskeletal dynamics directly within an intact embryonic system. These advantages have led to the discovery of novel cytoskeletal structures and mechanisms controlling lineage specification, cell-cell communication and the establishment of the first forms of tissue architecture during development. Here we highlight the diverse organization and functions of each of the three cytoskeletal filaments during the key events that shape the early mammalian embryo, and discuss how they work together to perform key developmental tasks, including cell fate specification and morphogenesis of the blastocyst. Collectively, these findings are unveiling a new picture of how cells in the early embryo dynamically remodel their cytoskeleton with unique spatial and temporal precision to drive developmental processes in the rapidly changing in vivo environment.
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13
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Meistermann D, Bruneau A, Loubersac S, Reignier A, Firmin J, François-Campion V, Kilens S, Lelièvre Y, Lammers J, Feyeux M, Hulin P, Nedellec S, Bretin B, Castel G, Allègre N, Covin S, Bihouée A, Soumillon M, Mikkelsen T, Barrière P, Chazaud C, Chappell J, Pasque V, Bourdon J, Fréour T, David L. Integrated pseudotime analysis of human pre-implantation embryo single-cell transcriptomes reveals the dynamics of lineage specification. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:1625-1640.e6. [PMID: 34004179 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding lineage specification during human pre-implantation development is a gateway to improving assisted reproductive technologies and stem cell research. Here we employ pseudotime analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data to reconstruct early mouse and human embryo development. Using time-lapse imaging of annotated embryos, we provide an integrated, ordered, and continuous analysis of transcriptomics changes throughout human development. We reveal that human trophectoderm/inner cell mass transcriptomes diverge at the transition from the B2 to the B3 blastocyst stage, just before blastocyst expansion. We explore the dynamics of the fate markers IFI16 and GATA4 and show that they gradually become mutually exclusive upon establishment of epiblast and primitive endoderm fates, respectively. We also provide evidence that NR2F2 marks trophectoderm maturation, initiating from the polar side, and subsequently spreads to all cells after implantation. Our study pinpoints the precise timing of lineage specification events in the human embryo and identifies transcriptomics hallmarks and cell fate markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Meistermann
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; LS2N, UNIV Nantes, CNRS, Nantes, France
| | - Alexandre Bruneau
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Sophie Loubersac
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Arnaud Reignier
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Julie Firmin
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Valentin François-Campion
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Stéphanie Kilens
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France
| | | | - Jenna Lammers
- CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Magalie Feyeux
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, SFR Santé, FED 4203, INSERM UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, Nantes, France
| | - Phillipe Hulin
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, SFR Santé, FED 4203, INSERM UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, Nantes, France
| | - Steven Nedellec
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, SFR Santé, FED 4203, INSERM UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, Nantes, France
| | - Betty Bretin
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Gaël Castel
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Nicolas Allègre
- GReD Laboratory, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, INSERM, Faculté de Médecine, CRBC, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Simon Covin
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Audrey Bihouée
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, SFR Santé, FED 4203, INSERM UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, Nantes, France; Institut du Thorax, UNIV Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, Nantes, France
| | - Magali Soumillon
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Tarjei Mikkelsen
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Paul Barrière
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France
| | - Claire Chazaud
- GReD Laboratory, Université Clermont Auvergne, CNRS, INSERM, Faculté de Médecine, CRBC, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Joel Chappell
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Institute for Single Cell Omics, Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Vincent Pasque
- KU Leuven - University of Leuven, Department of Development and Regeneration, Institute for Single Cell Omics, Leuven Stem Cell Institute, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Thomas Fréour
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; CHU Nantes, Université de Nantes, Service de Biologie de la Reproduction, 44000 Nantes, France.
| | - Laurent David
- Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Transplantation et Immunologie, UMR 1064, ITUN, 44000 Nantes, France; Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, INSERM, CNRS, SFR Santé, FED 4203, INSERM UMS 016, CNRS UMS 3556, Nantes, France.
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14
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Schliffka MF, Tortorelli AF, Özgüç Ö, de Plater L, Polzer O, Pelzer D, Maître JL. Multiscale analysis of single and double maternal-zygotic Myh9 and Myh10 mutants during mouse preimplantation development. eLife 2021; 10:e68536. [PMID: 33871354 PMCID: PMC8096435 DOI: 10.7554/elife.68536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
During the first days of mammalian development, the embryo forms the blastocyst, the structure responsible for implanting the mammalian embryo. Consisting of an epithelium enveloping the pluripotent inner cell mass and a fluid-filled lumen, the blastocyst results from a series of cleavage divisions, morphogenetic movements, and lineage specification. Recent studies have identified the essential role of actomyosin contractility in driving cytokinesis, morphogenesis, and fate specification, leading to the formation of the blastocyst. However, the preimplantation development of contractility mutants has not been characterized. Here, we generated single and double maternal-zygotic mutants of non-muscle myosin II heavy chains (NMHCs) to characterize them with multiscale imaging. We found that Myh9 (NMHC II-A) is the major NMHC during preimplantation development as its maternal-zygotic loss causes failed cytokinesis, increased duration of the cell cycle, weaker embryo compaction, and reduced differentiation, whereas Myh10 (NMHC II-B) maternal-zygotic loss is much less severe. Double maternal-zygotic mutants for Myh9 and Myh10 show a much stronger phenotype, failing most of the attempts of cytokinesis. We found that morphogenesis and fate specification are affected but nevertheless carry on in a timely fashion, regardless of the impact of the mutations on cell number. Strikingly, even when all cell divisions fail, the resulting single-celled embryo can initiate trophectoderm differentiation and lumen formation by accumulating fluid in increasingly large vacuoles. Therefore, contractility mutants reveal that fluid accumulation is a cell-autonomous process and that the preimplantation program carries on independently of successful cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Frederik Schliffka
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
- Carl Zeiss SASMarly-le-RoyFrance
| | | | - Özge Özgüç
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | | | - Oliver Polzer
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Diane Pelzer
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
| | - Jean-Léon Maître
- Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Sorbonne UniversitéParisFrance
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15
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Ribeiro JC, Alves MG, Yeste M, Cho YS, Calamita G, Oliveira PF. Aquaporins and (in)fertility: More than just water transport. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020; 1867:166039. [PMID: 33338597 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.166039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are a family of channel proteins that facilitate the transport of water and small solutes across biological membranes. They are widely distributed throughout the organism, having a number of key functions, some of them unexpected, both in health and disease. Among the various diseases in which AQPs are involved, infertility has been overlooked. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) infertility is a global public health problem with one third of the couples suffering from subfertility or even infertility due to male or female factors alone or combined. Thus, there is an urgent need to unveil the molecular mechanisms that control gametes production, maturation and fertilization-related events, to more specifically determine infertility causes. In addition, as more couples seek for fertility treatment through assisted reproductive technologies (ART), it is pivotal to understand how these techniques can be improved. AQPs are heterogeneously expressed throughout the male and female reproductive tracts, highlighting a possible regulatory role for these proteins in conception. In fact, their function, far beyond water transport, highlights potential intervention points to enhance ART. In this review we discuss AQPs distribution and structural organization, functions, and modulation throughout the male and female reproductive tracts and their relevance to the reproductive success. We also highlight the most recent advances and research trends regarding how the different AQPs are involved and regulated in specific mechanisms underlying (in)fertility. Finally, we discuss the involvement of AQPs in ART-related processes and how their handling can lead to improvement of infertility treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- João C Ribeiro
- Department of Anatomy, and Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; QOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marco G Alves
- Department of Anatomy, and Unit for Multidisciplinary Research in Biomedicine (UMIB), Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marc Yeste
- Biotechnology of Animal and Human Reproduction (TechnoSperm), Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology, University of Girona, E-17003 Girona, Spain; Unit of Cell Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Girona, E-17003 Girona, Spain
| | - Yoon S Cho
- Centro di Procreazione Medicalmente Assistita, Ospedale Santa Maria, Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Calamita
- Dept. of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari "Aldo Moro", Bari, Italy
| | - Pedro F Oliveira
- QOPNA & LAQV, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Portugal.
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16
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Kordowitzki P, Kranc W, Bryl R, Kempisty B, Skowronska A, Skowronski MT. The Relevance of Aquaporins for the Physiology, Pathology, and Aging of the Female Reproductive System in Mammals. Cells 2020; 9:cells9122570. [PMID: 33271827 PMCID: PMC7760214 DOI: 10.3390/cells9122570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquaporins constitute a group of water channel proteins located in numerous cell types. These are pore-forming transmembrane proteins, which mediate the specific passage of water molecules through membranes. It is well-known that water homeostasis plays a crucial role in different reproductive processes, e.g., oocyte transport, hormonal secretion, completion of successful fertilization, blastocyst formation, pregnancy, and birth. Further, aquaporins are involved in the process of spermatogenesis, and they have been reported to be involved during the storage of spermatozoa. It is noteworthy that aquaporins are relevant for the physiological function of specific parts in the female reproductive system, which will be presented in detail in the first section of this review. Moreover, they are relevant in different pathologies in the female reproductive system. The contribution of aquaporins in selected reproductive disorders and aging will be summarized in the second section of this review, followed by a section dedicated to aquaporin-related proteins. Since the relevance of aquaporins for the male reproductive system has been reviewed several times in the recent past, this review aims to provide an update on the distribution and impact of aquaporins only in the female reproductive system. Therefore, this paper seeks to determine the physiological and patho-physiological relevance of aquaporins on female reproduction, and female reproductive aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Kordowitzki
- Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute for Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
- Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences, 10-243 Olsztyn, Poland
| | - Wiesława Kranc
- Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland; (W.K.); (R.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Rut Bryl
- Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland; (W.K.); (R.B.); (B.K.)
| | - Bartosz Kempisty
- Department of Anatomy, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland; (W.K.); (R.B.); (B.K.)
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-781 Poznan, Poland
- Department of Veterinary Surgery, Institute for Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Skowronska
- Department of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Collegium Medicum, University of Warmia and Mazury, Warszawska Street 30, 10-082 Olsztyn, Poland;
| | - Mariusz T. Skowronski
- Department of Basic and Preclinical Sciences, Institute for Veterinary Medicine, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-56-611-2231
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17
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Miao X, Sun T, Golan M, Mager J, Cui W. Loss of POLR1D results in embryonic lethality prior to blastocyst formation in mice. Mol Reprod Dev 2020; 87:1152-1158. [PMID: 33022126 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.23427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, RNA polymerase (Pol) I and Pol III are dedicated to the synthesis of ribosomal RNA precursors and a variety of small RNAs, respectively. Although RNA Pol I and Pol III complexes are crucial for the regulation of cell growth and cell cycle in all cell types, many of the components of the Pol I and Pol III complexes have not been functionally characterized in mammals. Here, we provide the first in vivo functional characterization of POLR1D, a subunit shared by RNA Pol I and Pol III, during early mammalian embryo development. Our results show that Polr1d mutant embryos cannot be recovered at E7.5 early post-gastrulation stage, suggesting failed implantation. Although Polr1d mutants can be recovered at E3.5, they exhibit delayed/stalled development with morula morphology rather than differentiation into blastocysts. Even with extended time in culture, mutant embryos fail to form blastocysts and eventually die. Analysis of E3.0 embryos revealed severe DNA damage in Polr1d mutants. Additionally, lineage assessment reveals that trophectoderm specification is compromised in the absence of Polr1d. In summary, these findings demonstrate the essential role of POLR1D during early mammalian embryogenesis and highlight cell-lethal phenotype without Polr1d function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosu Miao
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tieqi Sun
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Morgane Golan
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.,Animal Models Core Facility, Institute for Applied Life Sciences (IALS), University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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18
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Płusa B, Piliszek A. Common principles of early mammalian embryo self-organisation. Development 2020; 147:147/14/dev183079. [PMID: 32699138 DOI: 10.1242/dev.183079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Pre-implantation mammalian development unites extreme plasticity with a robust outcome: the formation of a blastocyst, an organised multi-layered structure ready for implantation. The process of blastocyst formation is one of the best-known examples of self-organisation. The first three cell lineages in mammalian development specify and arrange themselves during the morphogenic process based on cell-cell interactions. Despite decades of research, the unifying principles driving early mammalian development are still not fully defined. Here, we discuss the role of physical forces, and molecular and cellular mechanisms, in driving self-organisation and lineage formation that are shared between eutherian mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenika Płusa
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, University of Manchester, Michael Smith Building, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Anna Piliszek
- Department of Experimental Embryology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Postepu 36A, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland
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19
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Coticchio G, Lagalla C, Sturmey R, Pennetta F, Borini A. The enigmatic morula: mechanisms of development, cell fate determination, self-correction and implications for ART. Hum Reprod Update 2020; 25:422-438. [PMID: 30855681 DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmz008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Revised: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assisted reproduction technology offers the opportunity to observe the very early stages of human development. However, due to practical constraints, for decades morphological examination of embryo development has been undertaken at a few isolated time points at the stages of fertilisation (Day 1), cleavage (Day 2-3) and blastocyst (Day 5-6). Rather surprisingly, the morula stage (Day 3-4) has been so far neglected, despite its involvement in crucial cellular processes and developmental decisions. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE The objective of this review is to collate novel and unsuspected insights into developmental processes occurring during formation of the morula, highlighting the key importance of this stage for a better understanding of preimplantation development and an improvement of ART. SEARCH METHODS PubMed was used to search the MEDLINE database for peer-reviewed English-language original articles and reviews concerning the morula stage in mammals. Searches were performed by adopting 'embryo', 'morula', 'compaction', 'cell fate' and 'IVF/assisted reproduction' as main terms, in association with other keywords expressing concepts relevant to the subject (e.g. cell polarity). The most relevant publications, i.e. those concerning major phenomena occurring during formation of the morula in established experimental models and the human species, were assessed and discussed critically. OUTCOMES Novel live cell imaging technologies and cell biology studies have extended our understanding of morula formation as a key stage for the development of the blastocyst and determination of the inner cell mass (ICM) and the trophectoderm (TE). Cellular processes, such as dynamic formation of filopodia and cytoskeleton-mediated zippering cell-to-cell interactions, intervene to allow cell compaction (a geometrical requisite essential for development) and formation of the blastocoel, respectively. At the same time, differential orientation of cleavage planes, cell polarity and cortical tensile forces interact and cooperate to position blastomeres either internally or externally, thereby influencing their cellular fate. Recent time lapse microscopy (TLM) observations also suggest that in the human the process of compaction may represent an important checkpoint for embryo viability, through which chromosomally abnormal blastomeres are sensed and eliminated by the embryo. WIDER IMPLICATIONS In clinical embryology, the morula stage has been always perceived as a 'black box' in the continuum of preimplantation development. This has dictated its virtual exclusion from mainstream ART procedures. Recent findings described in this review indicate that the morula, and the associated process of compaction, as a crucial stage not only for the formation of the blastocyst, but also for the health of the conceptus. This understanding may open new avenues for innovative approaches to embryo manipulation, assessment and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina Lagalla
- 9.Baby, Family and Fertility Center, Via Dante 15, Bologna, Italy
| | - Roger Sturmey
- Centre for Cardiovascular Metabolic Research, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom
| | | | - Andrea Borini
- 9.Baby, Family and Fertility Center, Via Dante 15, Bologna, Italy
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20
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Prieto J, Ponsoda X, Izpisua Belmonte JC, Torres J. Mitochondrial dynamics and metabolism in induced pluripotency. Exp Gerontol 2020; 133:110870. [PMID: 32045634 DOI: 10.1016/j.exger.2020.110870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Somatic cells can be reprogrammed to pluripotency by either ectopic expression of defined factors or exposure to chemical cocktails. During reprogramming, somatic cells undergo dramatic changes in a wide range of cellular processes, such as metabolism, mitochondrial morphology and function, cell signaling pathways or immortalization. Regulation of these processes during cell reprograming lead to the acquisition of a pluripotent state, which enables indefinite propagation by symmetrical self-renewal without losing the ability of reprogrammed cells to differentiate into all cell types of the adult. In this review, recent data from different laboratories showing how these processes are controlled during the phenotypic transformation of a somatic cell into a pluripotent stem cell will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Prieto
- Departamento Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología Física, Universitat de València, Calle Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain; Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Xavier Ponsoda
- Departamento Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología Física, Universitat de València, Calle Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (INCLIVA), Avenida de Menéndez y Pelayo 4, 46010, Valencia, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Izpisua Belmonte
- Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Josema Torres
- Departamento Biología Celular, Biología Funcional y Antropología Física, Universitat de València, Calle Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (INCLIVA), Avenida de Menéndez y Pelayo 4, 46010, Valencia, Spain.
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21
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Abstract
Aquaporins (AQPs) are water channels proteins that facilitate water flux across cell membranes in response to osmotic gradients. Despite of the differences in the mammalian placentas, the conserved combination of AQPs expressed in placental and fetal membranes throughout gestation suggests that these proteins may be important in the regulation of fetal water homeostasis. Thus, AQPs may regulate the amniotic fluid volume and participate in the trans-placental transfer of water. Apart from their classical roles, recent studies have revealed that placental AQPs may also cooperate in cellular processes such as the migration and the apoptosis of the trophoblasts. Aquaglyceroporins can also participate in the energy metabolism and in the urea elimination across the placenta. Many factors including oxygen, hormones, acid-basis homeostasis, maternal dietary status, interaction with other transport proteins and osmotic stress are proposed to regulate their expression and function during gestation and alterations result in pathological pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia E Damiano
- Laboratorio de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto de Fisiología y Biofísica Bernardo Houssay (IFIBIO)-CONICET-Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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22
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Camargo LSA, Costa FQ, Munk M, Wohlres-Viana S, Serapião RV, Carvalho BC, Campos PH, Vieira AC, Nogueira LAG, Viana JHM. Contrasting effects of heat shock during in vitro maturation on development of in vitro-fertilized and parthenogenetic bovine embryos. Reprod Domest Anim 2019; 54:1357-1365. [PMID: 31368591 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
This study investigated the influence of heat shock during in vitro maturation on embryo development following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or parthenogenesis (Part). Immature bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes were exposed to heat shock (41.0°C) during the first 12 hr of in vitro maturation (IVM), followed by 12 hr at 38.5°C. Control group consisted of in vitro maturation for 24 hr at 38.5°C. Oocytes were in vitro-fertilized or activated with ionomycin and cultured in vitro for 192 hr post-in vitro insemination or parthenogenetic activation (hpia). There was an interaction (p < .01) between temperature of IVM and method of oocyte activation (IVF or Part) for cleavage at 48 hpia. Heat shock had a negative impact (p < .01) on cleavage of IVF embryos, whereas no (p > .05) effect was found in the Part embryos. Embryo development towards blastocyst stage at 168 and 192 hpia decreased in both IVF and Part embryos derived from heat-shocked oocytes. Heat shock increased (p < .05) the apoptotic index in Part blastocysts, but no effect (p > .05) was found in IVF counterparts. Heat shock also down-regulated the expression of AQP3 (p < .01) and up-regulated the expression of HSP70.1 (p < .01) in Part blastocysts, whereas it down-regulated the expression of ATP1A1 (p < .05) in IVF blastocysts. In conclusion, the effects of heat shock during IVM on early embryo cleavage and blastocyst apoptosis are influenced by the method of oocyte activation and expression of some genes can be disturbed in embryos derived from heat-shocked oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Bruno Campos Carvalho
- Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), Dairy Cattle, Juiz de Fora, Brazil
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23
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Dumortier JG, Le Verge-Serandour M, Tortorelli AF, Mielke A, de Plater L, Turlier H, Maître JL. Hydraulic fracturing and active coarsening position the lumen of the mouse blastocyst. Science 2019; 365:465-468. [DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw7709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
During mouse pre-implantation development, the formation of the blastocoel, a fluid-filled lumen, breaks the radial symmetry of the blastocyst. The factors that control the formation and positioning of this basolateral lumen remain obscure. We found that accumulation of pressurized fluid fractures cell-cell contacts into hundreds of micrometer-size lumens. These microlumens eventually discharge their volumes into a single dominant lumen, which we model as a process akin to Ostwald ripening, underlying the coarsening of foams. Using chimeric mutant embryos, we tuned the hydraulic fracturing of cell-cell contacts and steered the coarsening of microlumens, allowing us to successfully manipulate the final position of the lumen. We conclude that hydraulic fracturing of cell-cell contacts followed by contractility-directed coarsening of microlumens sets the first axis of symmetry of the mouse embryo.
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24
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Frank LA, Rose RD, Anastasi MR, Tan TCY, Barry MF, Thompson JG, Brown HM. Artificial blastocyst collapse prior to vitrification significantly improves Na+/K+-ATPase-dependent post-warming blastocoel re-expansion kinetics without inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress gene expression in the mouse. Reprod Fertil Dev 2019; 31:294-305. [DOI: 10.1071/rd17500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Blastocoel expansion during embryo development is known to be reliant on the Na+/K+-ATPase pump, but little is known about the relative contribution of active (Na+/K+-ATPase pump) and facilitated diffusion (aquaporins) water transport during blastocoel re-expansion after vitrification. The aims of this study were to examine potential effects of artificial blastocoel collapse (ABC) on markers of embryo stress and the contribution of active and facilitated diffusion water transport mechanisms to blastocoel re-expansion. Day 5 mouse embryos were vitrified using either a standard protocol, laser pulse ABC, a hyperosmotic sucrose ABC protocol or both laser pulse and sucrose. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, no differences were found in the gene expression of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers activating transcription factor 4 (Atf4) or heat shock protein 90-alpha (Hsp90α) 2h after warming. Similarly, expression of the Na+/K+-ATPase pump gene, ATPase, Na+/K+ transporting, beta 1 polypeptide (Atp1b1) and protein did not differ between groups. Aquaporin 8 (Aqp8) gene expression was significantly lower in the laser+sucrose ABC group than in fresh controls, and aquaporin 3 (Aqp3) expression significantly higher in standard vitrified embryos compared with all other groups. Ouabain, a potent and specific Na+/K+-ATPase pump inhibitor, inhibited blastocoel re-expansion in both standard protocol- and laser ABC-vitrified embryos, reducing both groups to the same rate of re-expansion 3h after warming. These results demonstrate that ABC before vitrification does not alter mRNA or protein expression of Na+/K+-ATPase, or mRNA levels of ER stress genes Atf4 and Hsp90α. Activity of the pump may be increased in ABC embryos, with potential compensation by AQP3 when it is compromised.
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Mechanics of mouse blastocyst hatching revealed by a hydrogel-based microdeformation assay. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:10375-10380. [PMID: 30232257 PMCID: PMC6187134 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1719930115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Blastocyst hatching is crucial for implantation of mammalian embryos and a common failure point during in vitro fertilization (IVF). We have little knowledge of the mechanical basis whereby an embryo hatches out of the zona pellucida. We have developed a technique to measure blastocyst pressure, allowing us to quantify physiological parameters and providing additional measures of efficiency in IVF optimization. We find that mechanical stretching of the zona by the blastocyst is essential for efficient hatching. Cryopreservation and thawing of embryos is common during IVF. Our technique reveals significant differences in microphysiology between fresh and thawed embryos. Our experimental and associated mathematical techniques are also applicable to other biological systems involving cavity formation, providing an approach for measuring forces in diverse contexts. Mammalian embryos are surrounded by an acellular shell, the zona pellucida. Hatching out of the zona is crucial for implantation and continued development of the embryo. Clinically, problems in hatching can contribute to failure in assisted reproductive intervention. Although hatching is fundamentally a mechanical process, due to limitations in methodology most studies focus on its biochemical properties. To understand the role of mechanical forces in hatching, we developed a hydrogel deformation-based method and analytical approach for measuring pressure in cyst-like tissues. Using this approach, we found that, in cultured blastocysts, pressure increased linearly, with intermittent falls. Inhibition of Na/K-ATPase led to a dosage-dependent reduction in blastocyst cavity pressure, consistent with its requirement for cavity formation. Reducing blastocyst pressure reduced the probability of hatching, highlighting the importance of mechanical forces in hatching. These measurements allowed us to infer details of microphysiology such as osmolarity, ion and water transport kinetics across the trophectoderm, and zona stiffness, allowing us to model the embryo as a thin-shell pressure vessel. We applied this technique to test whether cryopreservation, a process commonly used in assisted reproductive technology (ART), leads to alteration of the embryo and found that thawed embryos generated significantly lower pressure than fresh embryos, a previously unknown effect of cryopreservation. We show that reduced pressure is linked to delayed hatching. Our approach can be used to optimize in vitro fertilization (IVF) using precise measurement of embryo microphysiology. It is also applicable to other biological systems involving cavity formation, providing an approach for measuring forces in diverse contexts.
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26
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Calder MD, Edwards NA, Betts DH, Watson AJ. Treatment with AICAR inhibits blastocyst development, trophectoderm differentiation and tight junction formation and function in mice. Mol Hum Reprod 2018; 23:771-785. [PMID: 28962017 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gax050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY QUESTION What is the impact of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation on blastocyst formation, gene expression, and tight junction formation and function? SUMMARY ANSWER AMPK activity must be tightly controlled for normal preimplantation development and blastocyst formation to occur. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY AMPK isoforms are detectable in oocytes, cumulus cells and preimplantation embryos. Cultured embryos are subject to many stresses that can activate AMPK. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Two primary experiments were carried out to determine the effect of AICAR treatment on embryo development and maintenance of the blastocoel cavity. Embryos were recovered from superovulated mice. First, 2-cell embryos were treated with a concentration series (0-2000 μM) of AICAR for 48 h until blastocyst formation would normally occur. In the second experiment, expanded mouse blastocysts were treated for 9 h with 1000 μM AICAR. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Outcomes measured included development to the blastocyst stage, cell number, blastocyst volume, AMPK phosphorylation, Cdx2 and blastocyst formation gene family expression (mRNAs and protein measured using quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting, immunofluorescence), tight junction function (FITC dextran dye uptake assay), and blastocyst ATP levels. The reversibility of AICAR treatment was assessed using Compound C (CC), a well-known inhibitor of AMPK, alone or in combination with AICAR. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Prolonged treatment with AICAR from the 2-cell stage onward decreases blastocyst formation, reduces total cell number, embryo diameter, leads to loss of trophectoderm cell contacts and membrane zona occludens-1 staining, and increased nuclear condensation. Treatment with CC alone inhibited blastocyst development only at concentrations that are higher than normally used. AICAR treated embryos displayed altered mRNA and protein levels of blastocyst formation genes. Treatment of blastocysts with AICAR for 9 h induced blastocyst collapse, altered blastocyst formation gene expression, increased tight junction permeability and decreased CDX2. Treated blastocysts displayed three phenotypes: those that were unaffected by treatment, those in which treatment was reversible, and those in which effects were irreversible. LARGE SCALE DATA Not applicable. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Our study investigates the effects of AICAR treatment on early development. While AICAR does increase AMPK activity and this is demonstrated in our study, AICAR is not a natural regulator of AMPK activity and some outcomes may result from off target non-AMPK AICAR regulated events. To support our results, blastocyst developmental outcomes were confirmed with two other well-known small molecule activators of AMPK, metformin and phenformin. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Metformin, an AMPK activator, is widely used to treat type II diabetes and polycystic ovarian disorder (PCOS). Our results indicate that early embryonic AMPK levels must be tightly regulated to ensure normal preimplantation development. Thus, use of metformin should be carefully considered during preimplantation and early post-embryo transfer phases of fertility treatment cycles. STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTEREST(S) Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) operating funds. There are no competing interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele D Calder
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nicole A Edwards
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Dean H Betts
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute (CHRI), Lawson Health Research Institute (LHRI), London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew J Watson
- Departments of Physiology and Pharmacology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Schulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.,Children's Health Research Institute (CHRI), Lawson Health Research Institute (LHRI), London, Ontario, Canada
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White MD, Zenker J, Bissiere S, Plachta N. Instructions for Assembling the Early Mammalian Embryo. Dev Cell 2018; 45:667-679. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2018.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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28
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Forecki J, Van Antwerp DJ, Lujan SM, Merzdorf CS. Roles for Xenopus aquaporin-3b (aqp3.L) during gastrulation: Fibrillar fibronectin and tissue boundary establishment in the dorsal margin. Dev Biol 2018; 433:3-16. [PMID: 29113748 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2017] [Revised: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Aquaporins and aquaglyceroporins are a large family of membrane channel proteins that allow rapid movement of water and small, uncharged solutes into and out of cells along concentration gradients. Recently, aquaporins have been gaining recognition for more complex biological roles than the regulation of cellular osmotic homeostasis. We have identified a specific expression pattern for Xenopus aqp3b (also called aqp3.L) during gastrulation, where it is localized to the sensorial (deep) layer of the blastocoel roof and dorsal margin. Interference with aqp3b expression resulted in loss of fibrillar fibronectin matrix in Brachet's cleft at the dorsal marginal zone, but not on the free surface of the blastocoel. Detailed observation showed that the absence of fibronectin matrix correlated with compromised border integrities between involuted mesendoderm and noninvoluted ectoderm in the marginal zone. Knockdown of aqp3b also led to delayed closure of the blastopore, suggesting defects in gastrulation movements. Radial intercalation was not affected in aqp3b morphants, while the data presented are consistent with impeded convergent extension movements of the dorsal mesoderm in response to loss of aqp3b. Our emerging model suggests that aqp3b is part of a mechanism that promotes proper interaction between cells and the extracellular matrix, thereby playing a critical role in gastrulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Forecki
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Daniel J Van Antwerp
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Sean M Lujan
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
| | - Christa S Merzdorf
- Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
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29
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Chen P, Pan Y, Cui Y, Wen Z, Liu P, He H, Li Q, Peng X, Zhao T, Yu S. Insulin-like growth factor I enhances the developmental competence of yak embryos by modulating aquaporin 3. Reprod Domest Anim 2017; 52:825-835. [DOI: 10.1111/rda.12985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- P Chen
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - Y Pan
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - Y Cui
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - Z Wen
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - P Liu
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - H He
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - Q Li
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - X Peng
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - T Zhao
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
| | - S Yu
- Gansu Province Livestock Embryo Engineering Research Center; College of Veterinary Medicine; Gansu Agricultural University; Lanzhou China
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30
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Onodera Y, Takahashi K, Goto M, Anzai M, Ono N, Shirasawa H, Sato W, Miura H, Sato N, Sato A, Kumazawa Y, Terada Y. The location of "8"-shaped hatching influences inner cell mass formation in mouse blastocysts. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0175150. [PMID: 28384351 PMCID: PMC5383253 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The hatching of a blastocyst where the blastocyst portions on the inside and the outside of the zona pellucida feature a figure-of-eight shape is termed “8”-shaped hatching; this type of hatching has been reported to affect the proper presentation of the inner cell mass (ICM) in both human and mouse embryos. Here, our aim was to investigate the factors that affect ICM presentation during “8”-shaped hatching. We performed IVF by using B6D2F1 female mice and ICR male mice, and used the 104 captured blastocysts. Embryos were maintained in KSOM at 37°C in a 5% CO2, 5% O2, and 90% N2 environment, and their growth behavior was monitored individually and continuously using time-lapse cinematography. At 120 h after insemination, embryos were immunostained and examined under a confocal microscope. We used the hatching form to identify “8”-shaped hatching, and we classified the “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts into two groups, one in which the hatching site was near the ICM center, and the other in which the hatching site was far from the ICM center. We measured each group for ICM size and the number of Oct3/4-positive cells. Of the 95 hatching or hatched embryos, 74 were “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts, and in these embryos, the ICM was significantly wider when the hatching site was near the ICM than when the hatching site was far from the ICM (P = 0.0091). Moreover, in the “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts in which the ICM was included in the blastocyst portion outside the zona pellucida―the portion defined as the “outside blastocyst”―after the collapse of this outside blastocyst, the ICM adhered to the trophectoderm of the outside blastocyst, opposite the hatching site. Our results indicate that in “8”-shaped-hatching blastocysts, the hatching site and the collapse of outside blastocyst affect ICM formation. Thus, the assessment of “8”-shaped hatching behaviors could yield indices for accurately evaluating embryo quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Onodera
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Kazumasa Takahashi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Mayumi Goto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Mibuki Anzai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Natsuki Ono
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Shirasawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Wataru Sato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Miura
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Naoki Sato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Akira Sato
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Yukiyo Kumazawa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Terada
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
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31
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Canel NG, Bevacqua RJ, Hiriart MI, Rabelo NC, de Almeida Camargo LS, Romanato M, de Calvo LP, Salamone DF. Sperm pretreatment with heparin and l-glutathione, sex-sorting, and double cryopreservation to improve intracytoplasmic sperm injection in bovine. Theriogenology 2017; 93:62-70. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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32
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Prieto-Martínez N, Morató R, Muiño R, Hidalgo CO, Rodríguez-Gil JE, Bonet S, Yeste M. Aquaglyceroporins 3 and 7 in bull spermatozoa: identification, localisation and their relationship with sperm cryotolerance. Reprod Fertil Dev 2017; 29:1249-1259. [DOI: 10.1071/rd16077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 03/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the localisation of aquaglyceroporins 3 (AQP3) and 7 (AQP7) in bull spermatozoa and their relationship with the sperm cell’s resilience to withstand cryopreservation (i.e. cryotolerance). A total of 18 bull ejaculates were cryopreserved and their sperm quality analysed before and after freeze–thawing. The presence and localisation of AQP3 and AQP7 was determined through immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry. AQP3 was found in the mid-piece and AQP7 in the mid-piece and post-acrosomal region of bull spermatozoa. Immunoblotting showed specific signal bands at 30 and 60 kDa for AQP3 and at 25 kDa for AQP7. Neither the relative abundance of AQP3 and AQP7 nor their localisation patterns was altered by cryopreservation but individual differences between bull ejaculates were found in immunoblots. In order to determine whether these individual differences were related to sperm cryotolerance, bull ejaculates were classified as having good (GFE) or poor freezability (PFE) on the basis of their sperm quality after thawing. While the relative abundance of AQP3 before cryopreservation did not differ between ejaculates with GFE and PFE, the abundance of AQP7 was higher in GFE than in PFE ejaculates. This finding was further confirmed through principal component and linear regression analyses. In conclusion, the relative abundance of AQP7 in fresh semen may be used as a marker to predict bull sperm cryotolerance.
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33
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34
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Edashige K. Permeability of the plasma membrane to water and cryoprotectants in mammalian oocytes and embryos: Its relevance to vitrification. Reprod Med Biol 2016; 16:36-39. [PMID: 29259448 PMCID: PMC5715871 DOI: 10.1002/rmb2.12007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The permeability of the plasma membrane to water and cryoprotectants is one of the important factors for determining the suitable condition for the vitrification of mammalian oocytes and embryos. Water and cryoprotectants move slowly through oocytes and early embryos, principally by simple diffusion, in the mouse, bovine, pig, and human. In contrast, water, glycerol, and ethylene glycerol move rapidly through morulae and blastocysts, principally by facilitated diffusion via aquaporin 3, in the mouse and bovine; whereas, in the pig, the permeability to water and these cryoprotectants increases not at the morula stage but at the blastocyst stage and further increases at the expanded blastocyst stage. Dimethyl sulfoxide also moves rapidly via channels other than aquaporin 3 in the mouse. In contrast, propylene glycol moves through morulae and blastocysts principally by simple diffusion in the mouse, bovine, and pig, as through oocytes. Therefore, the permeability of mammalian oocytes and embryos at early stages to water and cryoprotectants is low, but that of embryos at later stages to water and some cryoprotectants is markedly high by channel processes, although species specificity exists in some cases.
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35
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Yang J, Zhang D, Yu Y, Zhang RJ, Hu XL, Huang HF, Lu YC. Binding of FGF2 to FGFR2 in an autocrine mode in trophectoderm cells is indispensable for mouse blastocyst formation through PKC-p38 pathway. Cell Cycle 2016; 14:3318-30. [PMID: 26378412 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2015.1087622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblast growth factors (FGF1, FGF2 and FGF4) and fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR1, FGFR2, FGFR3 and FGFR4) have been reported to be expressed in preimplantation embryos and be required for their development. However, the functions of these molecules in trophectoderm cells (TEs) that lead to the formation of the blastocyst as well as the underlying mechanism have not been elucidated. The present study has demonstrated for the first time that endogenous FGF2 secreted by TEs can regulate protein expression and distribution in TEs via the FGFR2-mediated activation of PKC and p38, which are important for the development of expanded blastocysts. This finding provides the first explanation for the long-observed phenomenon that only high concentrations of exogenous FGFs have effects on embryonic development, but in vivo the amount of endogenous FGFs are trace. Besides, the present results suggest that FGF2/FGFR2 may act in an autocrine fashion and activate the downstream PKC/p38 pathway in TEs during expanded blastocyst formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Yang
- a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,d Department of Assisted Reproduction ; Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine ; Shanghai , China
| | - Dan Zhang
- a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China
| | - Ying Yu
- a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China
| | - Run-Ju Zhang
- a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China
| | - Xiao-Ling Hu
- a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China
| | - He-Feng Huang
- b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,c The International Peace Maternity and Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University ; Shanghai , China
| | - Yong-Chao Lu
- a Department of Reproductive Endocrinology ; Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China.,b The Key Laboratory of Reproductive Genetics, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University ; Hangzhou, Zhejiang , China
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36
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Fang CX, Nong YQ, Liu FH, Fan L, Chen Y. Heparin-Binding Epidermal Growth Factor-Like Growth Factor Enhances Aquaporin 3 Expression and Function During Mouse Embryo Implantation. Reprod Sci 2016; 24:463-470. [PMID: 27436370 DOI: 10.1177/1933719116657893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) is highly expressed in peri-implantation blastocyst trophoblastic cells, indicating its role in cytotrophoblast invasion during embryo implantation. However, the mechanism underlying the regulation of AQP3 expression during embryo implantation remains unclear. In this study, an in vitro co-culture system of blastocysts on a monolayer of uterine endometrial cells was used to mimic in vivo process of embryo attachment and invasion to uterine endometrium and treated with different concentrations of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF). The results showed that HB-EGF enhanced AQP3 expression in blastocysts in a dose-dependent manner and promoted the attachment and outgrowth of blastocysts on the monolayer of uterine endometrial cells. When the AQP3 activity was inhibited by copper sulfate, both the attachment and outgrowth of blastocysts were inhibited. Furthermore, HB-EGF induced the phosphorylation of EGF receptor (EGFR) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). PD153035 (EGFR inhibitor) and U0126 (ERK inhibitor) inhibited AQP3 expression and also the attachment and outgrowth of blastocysts. Collectively, our findings provide the first evidence that HB-EGF stimulates EGFR/ERK signaling to promote AQP3 expression in trophoblastic cells, and AQP3 plays a vital role in HB-EGF-induced embryo implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ying-Qi Nong
- 2 Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Feng-Hua Liu
- 2 Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Fan
- 1 Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ye Chen
- 2 Department of Reproductive Medical Center, Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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37
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Edashige K. The movement of water and cryoprotectants across the plasma membrane of mammalian oocytes and embryos and its relevance to vitrification. J Reprod Dev 2016; 62:317-21. [PMID: 27193425 PMCID: PMC5004785 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2016-048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The permeability of the plasma membrane to water and cryoprotectants is one of the most
important factors for determining suitable conditions for vitrification of mammalian
oocytes and embryos. In mouse oocytes and early stage embryos, water and cryoprotectants
move slowly, principally by simple diffusion. In contrast, in morulae (and probably
blastocysts), water, glycerol, and ethylene glycerol move rapidly, principally by
facilitated diffusion via aquaporin 3, and DMSO moves rapidly via channels other than
aquaporin 3. However, propylene glycol moves principally by simple diffusion. In cows and
pigs, similar results were obtained. However, in bovine morulae, DMSO moves principally by
simple diffusion. In pigs, permeability to water, glycerol, and ethylene glycol increases
not at the morula stage but at the blastocyst stage, and increases further at the expanded
blastocyst stage. Therefore, in general, the permeability of mammalian oocytes and early
stage embryos to water and cryoprotectants is low. Then, at later stages, the permeability
to water and some cryoprotectants markedly increases and occurs by facilitated diffusion
via channels, although there are some species-specific differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keisuke Edashige
- Laboratory of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Kochi University, Kochi 783-8502, Japan
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38
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Choi I, Carey TS, Wilson CA, Knott JG. Transcription factor AP-2γ is a core regulator of tight junction biogenesis and cavity formation during mouse early embryogenesis. Development 2016; 139:4623-32. [PMID: 23136388 DOI: 10.1242/dev.086645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The trophectoderm epithelium is the first differentiated cell layer to arise during mammalian development. Blastocyst formation requires the proper expression and localization of tight junction, polarity, ion gradient and H2O channel proteins in the outer cell membranes. However, the underlying transcriptional mechanisms that control their expression are largely unknown. Here, we report that transcription factor AP-2γ (Tcfap2c) is a core regulator of blastocyst formation in mice. Bioinformatics, chromatin immunoprecipitation and transcriptional analysis revealed that Tcfap2c binds and regulates a diverse group of genes expressed during blastocyst formation. RNA interference experiments demonstrated that Tcfap2c regulates genes important for tight junctions, cell polarity and fluid accumulation. Functional and ultrastructural studies revealed that Tcfap2c is necessary for tight junction assembly and paracellular sealing in trophectoderm epithelium. Aggregation of control eight-cell embryos with Tcfap2c knockdown embryos rescued blastocyst formation via direct contribution to the trophectoderm epithelium. Finally, we found that Tcfap2c promotes cellular proliferation via direct repression of p21 transcription during the morula-to-blastocyst transition. We propose a model in which Tcfap2c acts in a hierarchy to facilitate blastocyst formation through transcriptional regulation of core genes involved in tight junction assembly, fluid accumulation and cellular proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inchul Choi
- Developmental Epigenetics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Cheng X, Xu S, Song C, He L, Lian X, Liu Y, Wei J, Pang L, Wang S. Roles of ERα during mouse trophectoderm lineage differentiation: revealed by antagonist and agonist of ERα. Dev Growth Differ 2016; 58:327-38. [PMID: 27037955 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Revised: 02/04/2016] [Accepted: 02/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
During mouse early embryogenesis, blastomeres increase in number by the morula stage. Among them, the outer cells are polarized and differentiated into trophectoderm (TE), while the inner cells remain unpolarized and give rise to inner cell mass (ICM). TE provides an important liquid environment for ICM development. In spite of extensive research, the molecular mechanisms underlying TE formation are still obscure. In order to investigate the roles of estrogen receptor α (ERα) in this course, mouse 8-cell embryos were collected and cultured in media containing ERα specific antagonist MPP and/or agonist PPT. The results indicated that MPP treatment inhibits blastocyst formation in a dose-dependent manner, while PPT, at proper concentration, promotes the cavitation ratio of mouse embryos. Immunofluorescence staining results showed that MPP significantly decreased the nuclear expression of CDX2 in morula, but no significant changes of OCT4 were observed. Moreover, after MPP treatment, the expression levels of the genes related to TE specification, Tead4, Gata3 and Cdx2, were significantly reduced. Overall, these results indicated that ERα might affect mouse embryo cavitation by regulating TE lineage differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiang Cheng
- Cellular and Developmental Engineering Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Songhua Xu
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Chanchan Song
- Cellular and Developmental Engineering Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Lin He
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Xiuli Lian
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Yue Liu
- Cellular and Developmental Engineering Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Jianen Wei
- Cellular and Developmental Engineering Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China.,Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Lili Pang
- Cellular and Developmental Engineering Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
| | - Shie Wang
- Cellular and Developmental Engineering Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China.,Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350108, China
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Modulation of aquaporins 3 and 9 after exposure of ovine ovarian tissue to cryoprotectants followed by in vitro culture. Cell Tissue Res 2016; 365:415-24. [PMID: 26975215 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-016-2384-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Our aim has been to evaluate the effect of cryoprotective agents (CPAs) on the exposure, vitrification (VIT), and in vitro culture (IVC) of ovarian tissue with regard to the expression and immunolocalization of aquaporins (AQPs) 3 and 9 in ovine preantral follicles. Tissues were treated as follows: Experiment I: (1) control (without exposure to CPAs), (2) e-EG (exposure to ethylene glycol), (3) er-EG (exposure to and removal of EG), (4) e-DMSO (exposure to dimethyl sulfoxide), (5) er-DMSO (exposure to and removal of DMSO), (6) e-EG+DMSO (exposure to EG+DMSO), (7) er-EG+DMSO (exposure to and removal of EG+DMSO); Experiment II: (1) control, (2) VIT, (3) IVC, (4) VIT-IVC. In Experiment I, following er-EG or er-DMSO, tissue showed the down-regulation (P < 0.05) of AQP3 mRNA. The mRNA transcript levels were reduced (P < 0.05) for AQP9 in tissue following er-EG+DMSO. Immunolocalization was positive for both proteins (AQP3 and AQP9) on ovine preantral follicles following all treatments, except in the e-EG+DMSO group. In Experiment II, the mRNA levels of AQP3 and AQP9 following VIT treatment were similar (P > 0.05) to that of the control group. Nevertheless, VIT-IVC treatment led to the down-regulation of mRNA of AQP3 and AQP9. Thus, AQP3 and AQP9 act in a mutually dependent way, maintaining the cell homeostasis that is essential for the ovary cryopreservation process. Furthermore, the changes in the expression profiles of mRNA and protein after culture are a strong indicator that in vitro conditions have to be strictly controlled to ensure follicle viability and functionality.
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Zhigalina DI, Skryabin NA, Artyukhova VG, Svetlakov AV, Lebedev IN. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis by blastocentesis: Problems and perspectives. RUSS J GENET+ 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s1022795416010154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Magli MC, Pomante A, Cafueri G, Valerio M, Crippa A, Ferraretti AP, Gianaroli L. Preimplantation genetic testing: polar bodies, blastomeres, trophectoderm cells, or blastocoelic fluid? Fertil Steril 2015; 105:676-683.e5. [PMID: 26658131 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the blastocoelic fluid (BF) for the presence of DNA that could be amplified and analyzed; the extent to which its chromosomal status corresponds to that found in trophectoderm (TE) cells, polar bodies (PBs), or blastomeres; and the identification of segmental abnormalities. DESIGN Longitudinal cohort study. SETTING In vitro fertilization unit. PATIENT(S) Fifty-one couples undergoing preimplantation genetic screening or preimplantation genetic diagnosis for translocations by array-comparative genomic hybridization on PBs (n = 21) or blastomeres (n = 30). INTERVENTION(S) BFs and TE cells were retrieved from 116 blastocysts, whose chromosome status had already been established by PB or blastomere assessment. Separate chromosome analysis was performed in 70 BFs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Presence of DNA in BFs, evaluation of the chromosome condition, and comparison with the diagnosis made in TE cells and at earlier stage biopsies. RESULT(S) DNA detection was 82%, with a net improvement after refinement of the procedure. In 97.1% of BFs, the ploidy condition corresponded to that found in TE cells, with one false positive and one false negative. The rate of concordance per single chromosome was 98.4%. Ploidy and chromosome concordance with PBs were 94% and 97.9%, respectively; with blastomeres, the concordances were 95% and 97.7%, respectively. Segmental abnormalities, which were detected in PBs or blastomeres of 16 blastocysts, were also identified in the corresponding BFs. CONCLUSION(S) BF represents to a good extent the blastocyst ploidy condition and chromosome status when compared with TE cells. If the proportion of clinically useful BFs is improved, blastocentesis could become the preferred source of DNA for chromosomal testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Andor Crippa
- SISMER, Reproductive Medicine Unit, Bologna, Italy
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Jedrusik A. Making the first decision: lessons from the mouse. Reprod Med Biol 2015; 14:135-150. [PMID: 29259411 PMCID: PMC5715835 DOI: 10.1007/s12522-015-0206-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Pre-implantation development encompasses a period of 3-4 days over which the mammalian embryo has to make its first decision: to separate the pluripotent inner cell mass (ICM) from the extra-embryonic epithelial tissue, the trophectoderm (TE). The ICM gives rise to tissues mainly building the body of the future organism, while the TE contributes to the extra-embryonic tissues that support embryo development after implantation. This review provides an overview of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that control the critical aspects of this first decision, and highlights the role of critical events, namely zytotic genome activation, compaction, polarization, asymmetric cell divisions, formation of the blastocyst cavity and expression of key transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Jedrusik
- Wellcome Trust/CR UK Gurdon InstituteTennis Court RoadCB2 1QNCambridgeUK
- Department of Physiology, Development and NeuroscienceUniversity of CambridgeDowning StreetCB2 3DYCambridgeUK
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Zhao MH, Liang S, Kim SH, Cui XS, Kim NH. Fe(III) Is Essential for Porcine Embryonic Development via Mitochondrial Function Maintenance. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0130791. [PMID: 26161974 PMCID: PMC4498905 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2015] [Accepted: 05/25/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Iron is an important trace element involved in several biological processes. The role of iron in porcine early embryonic development remains unknown. In the present study, we depleted iron (III, Fe3+) with deferoxamine (DFM), a specific Fe3+ chelator, in cultured porcine parthenotes and monitored embryonic development, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ATP production. Results showed biphasic function of Fe3+ in porcine embryo development. 0.5 μM DFM obviously increased blastocyst formation (57.49 ± 2.18% vs. control, 43.99 ± 1.72%, P < 0.05) via reduced (P < 0.05) production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), further increased mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production in blastocysts (P < 0.05). 0.5 μM DFM decreased mRNA expression of Caspase 3 (Casp3) and increased Bcl-xL. However, results showed a significant reduction in blastocyst formation in the presence of 5.0 μM DFM compared with the control group (DFM, 21.62 ± 3.92% vs. control, 43.99 ± 1.73%, P < 0.05). Fe3+ depletion reduced the total (DFM, 21.10 ± 8.78 vs. control, 44.09 ± 13.65, P < 0.05) and increased apoptotic cell number (DFM, 11.10 ± 5.24 vs. control, 2.64 ± 1.43, P < 0.05) in the blastocyst. An obvious reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP level after 5.0 μM DFM treatment was observed. Co-localization between mitochondria and cytochrome c was reduced after high concentration of DFM treatment. In conclusion, Fe3+ is essential for porcine embryonic development via mitochondrial function maintenance, but redundant Fe3+ impairs the function of mitochondria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Hui Zhao
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Shuang Liang
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Hyang Kim
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
| | - Xiang-Shun Cui
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (XSC); (NHK)
| | - Nam-Hyung Kim
- Department of Animal Science, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- Brain Korea 21 Center for Bio-Resource Development, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea
- * E-mail: (XSC); (NHK)
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Bedzhov I, Graham SJL, Leung CY, Zernicka-Goetz M. Developmental plasticity, cell fate specification and morphogenesis in the early mouse embryo. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2015; 369:rstb.2013.0538. [PMID: 25349447 PMCID: PMC4216461 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2013.0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A critical point in mammalian development is when the early embryo implants into its mother's uterus. This event has historically been difficult to study due to the fact that it occurs within the maternal tissue and therefore is hidden from view. In this review, we discuss how the mouse embryo is prepared for implantation and the molecular mechanisms involved in directing and coordinating this crucial event. Prior to implantation, the cells of the embryo are specified as precursors of future embryonic and extra-embryonic lineages. These preimplantation cell fate decisions rely on a combination of factors including cell polarity, position and cell–cell signalling and are influenced by the heterogeneity between early embryo cells. At the point of implantation, signalling events between the embryo and mother, and between the embryonic and extraembryonic compartments of the embryo itself, orchestrate a total reorganization of the embryo, coupled with a burst of cell proliferation. New developments in embryo culture and imaging techniques have recently revealed the growth and morphogenesis of the embryo at the time of implantation, leading to a new model for the blastocyst to egg cylinder transition. In this model, pluripotent cells that will give rise to the fetus self-organize into a polarized three-dimensional rosette-like structure that initiates egg cylinder formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Bedzhov
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Sarah J L Graham
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Chuen Yan Leung
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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Aue A, Hinze C, Walentin K, Ruffert J, Yurtdas Y, Werth M, Chen W, Rabien A, Kilic E, Schulzke JD, Schumann M, Schmidt-Ott KM. A Grainyhead-Like 2/Ovo-Like 2 Pathway Regulates Renal Epithelial Barrier Function and Lumen Expansion. J Am Soc Nephrol 2015; 26:2704-15. [PMID: 25788534 DOI: 10.1681/asn.2014080759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 12/30/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Grainyhead transcription factors control epithelial barriers, tissue morphogenesis, and differentiation, but their role in the kidney is poorly understood. Here, we report that nephric duct, ureteric bud, and collecting duct epithelia express high levels of grainyhead-like homolog 2 (Grhl2) and that nephric duct lumen expansion is defective in Grhl2-deficient mice. In collecting duct epithelial cells, Grhl2 inactivation impaired epithelial barrier formation and inhibited lumen expansion. Molecular analyses showed that GRHL2 acts as a transcriptional activator and strongly associates with histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation. Integrating genome-wide GRHL2 binding as well as H3 lysine 4 trimethylation chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and gene expression data allowed us to derive a high-confidence GRHL2 target set. GRHL2 transactivated a group of genes including Ovol2, encoding the ovo-like 2 zinc finger transcription factor, as well as E-cadherin, claudin 4 (Cldn4), and the small GTPase Rab25. Ovol2 induction alone was sufficient to bypass the requirement of Grhl2 for E-cadherin, Cldn4, and Rab25 expression. Re-expression of either Ovol2 or a combination of Cldn4 and Rab25 was sufficient to rescue lumen expansion and barrier formation in Grhl2-deficient collecting duct cells. Hence, we identified a Grhl2/Ovol2 network controlling Cldn4 and Rab25 expression that facilitates lumen expansion and barrier formation in subtypes of renal epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annekatrin Aue
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center, and
| | - Christian Hinze
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; Departments of Nephrology
| | | | - Janett Ruffert
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Yesim Yurtdas
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; Urology, Berlin Institute of Urologic Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Max Werth
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wei Chen
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anja Rabien
- Urology, Berlin Institute of Urologic Research, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Michael Schumann
- Gastroenterology, Charité Medical University, Berlin, Germany; and
| | - Kai M Schmidt-Ott
- Max Delbrueck Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; Experimental and Clinical Research Center, and Departments of Nephrology,
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Puscheck EE, Awonuga AO, Yang Y, Jiang Z, Rappolee DA. Molecular biology of the stress response in the early embryo and its stem cells. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2015; 843:77-128. [PMID: 25956296 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2480-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Stress is normal during early embryogenesis and transient, elevated stress is commonplace. Stress in the milieu of the peri-implantation embryo is a summation of maternal hormones, and other elements of the maternal milieu, that signal preparedness for development and implantation. Examples discussed here are leptin, adrenaline, cortisol, and progesterone. These hormones signal maternal nutritional status and provide energy, but also signal stress that diverts maternal and embryonic energy from an optimal embryonic developmental trajectory. These hormones communicate endocrine maternal effects and local embryonic effects although signaling mechanisms are not well understood. Other in vivo stresses affect the embryo such as local infection and inflammation, hypoxia, environmental toxins such as benzopyrene, dioxin, or metals, heat shock, and hyperosmotic stress due to dehydration or diabetes. In vitro, stresses include shear during handling, improper culture media and oxygen levels, cryopreservation, and manipulations of the embryo to introduce sperm or mitochondria. We define stress as any stimulus that slows stem cell accumulation or diminishes the ability of cells to produce normal and sufficient parenchymal products upon differentiation. Thus stress deflects downwards the normal trajectories of development, growth and differentiation. Typically stress is inversely proportional to embryonic developmental and proliferative rates, but can be proportional to induction of differentiation of stem cells in the peri-implantation embryo. When modeling stress it is most interesting to produce a 'runting model' where stress exposures slow accumulation but do not create excessive apoptosis or morbidity. Windows of stress sensitivity may occur when major new embryonic developmental programs require large amounts of energy and are exacerbated if nutritional flow decreases and removes energy from the normal developmental programs and stress responses. These windows correspond to zygotic genome activation, the large mRNA program initiated at compaction, ion pumping required for cavitation, the differentiation of the first lineages, integration with the uterine environment at implantation, rapid proliferation of stem cells, and production of certain lineages which require the highest energy and are most sensitive to mitochondrial inhibition. Stress response mechanisms insure that stem cells for the early embryo and placenta survive at lower stress exposures, and that the organism survives through compensatory and prioritized stem cell differentiation, at higher stress exposures. These servomechanisms include a small set of stress enzymes from the 500 protein kinases in the kinome; the part of the genome coding for protein kinases that hierarchically regulate the activity of other proteins and enzymes. Important protein kinases that mediate the stress response of embryos and their stem cells are SAPK, p38MAPK, AMPK, PI3K, Akt, MEK1/2, MEKK4, PKA, IRE1 and PERK. These stress enzymes have cytosolic function in cell survival at low stress exposures and nuclear function in modifying transcription factor activity at higher stress exposures. Some of the transcription factors (TFs) that are most important in the stress response are JunC, JunB, MAPKAPs, ATF4, XBP1, Oct1, Oct4, HIFs, Nrf2/KEAP, NFKB, MT1, Nfat5, HSF1/2 and potency-maintaining factors Id2, Cdx2, Eomes, Sox2, Nanog, Rex1, and Oct4. Clearly the stress enzymes have a large number of cytosolic and nuclear substrates and the TFs regulate large numbers of genes. The interaction of stress enzymes and TFs in the early embryo and its stem cells are a continuing central focus of research. In vitro regulation of TFs by stress enzymes leads to reprogramming of the stem cell when stress diminishes stem cell accumulation. Since more differentiated product is produced by fewer cells, the process compensates for fewer cells. Coupled with stress-induced compensatory differentiation of stem cells is a tendency to prioritize differentiation by increasing the first essential lineage and decreasing later lineages. These mechanisms include stress enzymes that regulate TFs and provide stress-specific, shared homeostatic cellular and organismal responses of prioritized differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth E Puscheck
- Department of Ob/Gyn, REI Division, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
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Gardner DK, Harvey AJ. Blastocyst metabolism. Reprod Fertil Dev 2015; 27:638-54. [DOI: 10.1071/rd14421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian blastocyst exhibits an idiosyncratic metabolism, reflecting its unique physiology and its ability to undergo implantation. Glucose is the primary nutrient of the blastocyst, and is metabolised both oxidatively and through aerobic glycolysis. The production of significant quantities of lactate by the blastocyst reflects specific metabolic requirements and mitochondrial regulation; it is further proposed that lactate production serves to facilitate several key functions during implantation, including biosynthesis, endometrial tissue breakdown, the promotion of new blood vessel formation and induction of local immune-modulation of the uterine environment. Nutrient availability, oxygen concentration and the redox state of the blastocyst tightly regulate the relative activities of specific metabolic pathways. Notably, a loss of metabolic normality is associated with a reduction in implantation potential and subsequent fetal development. Even a transient metabolic stress at the blastocyst stage culminates in low fetal weights after transfer. Further, it is evident that there are differences between male and female embryos, with female embryos being characterised by higher glucose consumption and differences in their amino acid turnover, reflecting the presence of two active X-chromosomes before implantation, which results in differences in the proteomes between the sexes. In addition to the role of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors, the signalling pathways involved in regulating blastocyst metabolism are currently under intense analysis, with the roles of sirtuins, mTOR, AMP-activated protein kinase and specific amino acids being scrutinised. It is evident that blastocyst metabolism regulates more than the production of ATP; rather, it is apparent that metabolites and cofactors are important regulators of the epigenome, putting metabolism at centre stage when considering the interactions of the blastocyst with its environment.
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Effect of crotamine, a cell-penetrating peptide, on blastocyst production and gene expression of in vitro fertilized bovine embryos. ZYGOTE 2014; 24:48-57. [DOI: 10.1017/s0967199414000707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SummaryThe present study investigated the effects of crotamine, a cell-penetrating peptide from rattlesnake venom, at different exposure times and concentrations, on both developmental competence and gene expression (ATP1A1, AQP3, GLUT1 and GLUT3) of in vitro fertilized (IVF) bovine embryos. In Experiment 1, presumptive zygotes were exposed to 0.1 μM crotamine for 6, 12 or 24 h and control groups (vehicle and IVF) were included. In Experiment 2, presumptive zygotes were exposed to 0 (vehicle), 0.1, 1 and 10 μM crotamine for 24 h. Additionally, to visualize crotamine uptake, embryos were exposed to rhodamine B-labelled crotamine and subjected to confocal microscopy. In Experiment 1, no difference (P > 0.05) was observed among different exposure times and control groups for cleavage and blastocyst rates and total cells number per blastocyst. Within each exposure time, mRNA levels were similar (P > 0.05) in embryos cultured with or without crotamine. In Experiment 2, concentrations as high as 10 μM crotamine did not affect (P > 0.05) the blastocyst rate. Crotamine at 0.1 and 10 μM did not alter mRNA levels when compared with the control (P > 0.05). Remarkably, only 1 μM crotamine decreased both ATP1A1 and AQP3 expression levels relative to the control group (P < 0.05). Also, it was possible to visualize the intracellular localization of crotamine. These results indicate that crotamine can translocate intact IVF bovine embryos and its application in the culture medium is possible at concentrations from 0.1–10 μM for 6–24 h.
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50
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Gianaroli L, Magli MC, Pomante A, Crivello AM, Cafueri G, Valerio M, Ferraretti AP. Blastocentesis: a source of DNA for preimplantation genetic testing. Results from a pilot study. Fertil Steril 2014; 102:1692-9.e6. [PMID: 25256935 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2014.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2014] [Revised: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 08/13/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the presence of DNA in blastocyst fluids (BFs) and to estimate whether the chromosomal status predicted by its analysis corresponds with the ploidy condition in trophectoderm (TE) cells, the whole embryo, and that predicted by polar bodies (PBs) or blastomeres. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING In vitro fertilization unit. PATIENT(S) Seventeen couples undergoing preimplantation genetic screening with the use of array comparative genomic hybridization on PBs (n = 12) or blastomeres (n = 5). INTERVENTION(S) BFs and TE cells were retrieved from 51 blastocysts for separate chromosomal analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Presence of DNA in BFs and assessment of the corresponding chromosome condition; correlation with the results in TE cells and those predicted by the analysis done at earlier stages. RESULT(S) DNA was detected in 39 BFs (76.5%). In 38 of 39 cases (97.4%) the ploidy condition of BFs was confirmed in TE cells, and the rate of concordance per single chromosome was 96.6% (904/936). In relation to the whole embryo, the ploidy condition corresponded in all cases with a per-chromosome concordance of 98.1%. The testing of PBs and blastomeres had 93.3% and 100% prediction of BF ploidy condition with a concordance per chromosome of 93.5% and 94%, respectively. CONCLUSION(S) Blastocentesis could represent an alternative source of material for chromosomal testing, because the BF is highly predictive of the embryo ploidy condition and chromosome content. Our data confirm the relevance of the oocyte and of the early-cleavage embryo in determining the ploidy condition of the resulting blastocyst.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Gianaroli
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy.
| | - M Cristina Magli
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pomante
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna M Crivello
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Cafueri
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy
| | - Marzia Valerio
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna P Ferraretti
- Reproductive Medicine Unit, Società Italiana Studi di Medicina della Riproduzione, Bologna, Italy
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