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Soszyńska A, Krawczyk K, Szpila M, Winek E, Szpakowska A, Suwińska A. Exposure of chimaeric embryos to exogenous FGF4 leads to the production of pure ESC-derived mice. Theriogenology 2024; 222:10-21. [PMID: 38603966 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Producing chimaeras constitutes the most reliable method of verifying the pluripotency of newly established cells. Moreover, forming chimaeras by injecting genetically modified embryonic stem cells (ESCs) or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into the embryo is part of the procedure for generating transgenic mice, which are used for understanding gene function. Conventional methods for generating transgenic mice, including the breeding of chimaeras and tetraploid complementation, are time-consuming and cost-inefficient, with significant limitations that hinder their effectiveness and widespread applications. In the present study, we modified the traditional method of chimaera generation to significantly speed up this process by generating mice exclusively derived from ESCs. This study aimed to assess whether fully ESC-derived mice could be obtained by modulating fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) levels in the culture medium and changing the direction of cell differentiation in the chimaeric embryo. We found that exogenous FGF4 directs all host blastomeres to the primitive endoderm fate, but does not affect the localisation of ESCs in the epiblast of the chimaeric embryos. Consequently, all FGF4-treated chimaeric embryos contained an epiblast composed exclusively of ESCs, and following transfer into recipient mice, these embryos developed into fully ESC-derived newborns. Collectively, this simple approach could accelerate the generation of ESC-derived animals and thus optimise ESC-mediated transgenesis and the verification of cell pluripotency. Compared to traditional methods, it could speed up functional studies by several weeks and significantly reduce costs related to maintaining and breeding chimaeras. Moreover, since the effect of stimulating the FGF signalling pathway is universal across different animal species, our approach can be applied not only to rodents but also to other animals, offering its utility beyond laboratory settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Soszyńska
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Katarzyna Krawczyk
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Marcin Szpila
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Eliza Winek
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Anna Szpakowska
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Aneta Suwińska
- Department of Embryology, Institute of Developmental Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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2
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Fischer SC, Schardt S, Lilao-Garzón J, Muñoz-Descalzo S. The salt-and-pepper pattern in mouse blastocysts is compatible with signaling beyond the nearest neighbors. iScience 2023; 26:108106. [PMID: 37915595 PMCID: PMC10616410 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Embryos develop in a concerted sequence of spatiotemporal arrangements of cells. In the preimplantation mouse embryo, the distribution of the cells in the inner cell mass evolves from a salt-and-pepper pattern to spatial segregation of two distinct cell types. The exact properties of the salt-and-pepper pattern have not been analyzed so far. We investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of NANOG- and GATA6-expressing cells in the ICM of the mouse blastocysts with quantitative three-dimensional single-cell-based neighborhood analyses. A combination of spatial statistics and agent-based modeling reveals that the cell fate distribution follows a local clustering pattern. Using ordinary differential equations modeling, we show that this pattern can be established by a distance-based signaling mechanism enabling cells to integrate information from the whole inner cell mass into their cell fate decision. Our work highlights the importance of longer-range signaling to ensure coordinated decisions in groups of cells to successfully build embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine C. Fischer
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Faculty of Biology, Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Klara-Oppenheimer-Weg 32, Campus Hubland Nord, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Simon Schardt
- Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Faculty of Biology, Center for Computational and Theoretical Biology, Klara-Oppenheimer-Weg 32, Campus Hubland Nord, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Joaquín Lilao-Garzón
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS), Universidad Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Paseo Blas Cabrera Felipe "Físico" 17, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain
| | - Silvia Muñoz-Descalzo
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS), Universidad Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Paseo Blas Cabrera Felipe "Físico" 17, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain
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3
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Bouchereau W, Jouneau L, Archilla C, Aksoy I, Moulin A, Daniel N, Peynot N, Calderari S, Joly T, Godet M, Jaszczyszyn Y, Pratlong M, Severac D, Savatier P, Duranthon V, Afanassieff M, Beaujean N. Major transcriptomic, epigenetic and metabolic changes underlie the pluripotency continuum in rabbit preimplantation embryos. Development 2022; 149:276385. [DOI: 10.1242/dev.200538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Despite the growing interest in the rabbit model for developmental and stem cell biology, the characterization of embryos at the molecular level is still poorly documented. We conducted a transcriptome analysis of rabbit preimplantation embryos from E2.7 (morula stage) to E6.6 (early primitive streak stage) using bulk and single-cell RNA-sequencing. In parallel, we studied oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis, and analysed active and repressive epigenetic modifications during blastocyst formation and expansion. We generated a transcriptomic, epigenetic and metabolic map of the pluripotency continuum in rabbit preimplantation embryos, and identified novel markers of naive pluripotency that might be instrumental for deriving naive pluripotent stem cell lines. Although the rabbit is evolutionarily closer to mice than to primates, we found that the transcriptome of rabbit epiblast cells shares common features with those of humans and non-human primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wilhelm Bouchereau
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
| | - Luc Jouneau
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED 2 , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas , France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED 3 , 94700 Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Catherine Archilla
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED 2 , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas , France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED 3 , 94700 Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Irène Aksoy
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
| | - Anais Moulin
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
| | - Nathalie Daniel
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED 2 , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas , France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED 3 , 94700 Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Nathalie Peynot
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED 2 , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas , France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED 3 , 94700 Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Sophie Calderari
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED 2 , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas , France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED 3 , 94700 Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Thierry Joly
- ISARA-Lyon 4 , F-69007 Lyon , France
- VetAgroSup, UPSP ICE 5 , F-69280 Marcy l'Etoile , France
| | - Murielle Godet
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
| | - Yan Jaszczyszyn
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC) 6 , 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette , France
| | - Marine Pratlong
- MGX, Université Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM 7 , 34094 Montpellier , France
| | - Dany Severac
- MGX, Université Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM 7 , 34094 Montpellier , France
| | - Pierre Savatier
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
| | - Véronique Duranthon
- Université Paris-Saclay, UVSQ, INRAE, BREED 2 , 78350 Jouy-en-Josas , France
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, BREED 3 , 94700 Maisons-Alfort , France
| | - Marielle Afanassieff
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
| | - Nathalie Beaujean
- Université Lyon 1, INSERM, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute U1208, INRAE USC 1361 1 , F-69500 Bron , France
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4
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Forsyth JE, Al-Anbaki AH, de la Fuente R, Modare N, Perez-Cortes D, Rivera I, Seaton Kelly R, Cotter S, Plusa B. IVEN: A quantitative tool to describe 3D cell position and neighbourhood reveals architectural changes in FGF4-treated preimplantation embryos. PLoS Biol 2021; 19:e3001345. [PMID: 34310594 PMCID: PMC8341705 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Architectural changes at the cellular and organism level are integral and necessary to successful development and growth. During mammalian preimplantation development, cells reduce in size and the architecture of the embryo changes significantly. Such changes must be coordinated correctly to ensure continued development of the embryo and, ultimately, a successful pregnancy. However, the nature of such transformations is poorly defined during mammalian preimplantation development. In order to quantitatively describe changes in cell environment and organism architecture, we designed Internal Versus External Neighbourhood (IVEN). IVEN is a user-interactive, open-source pipeline that classifies cells into different populations based on their position and quantifies the number of neighbours of every cell within a dataset in a 3D environment. Through IVEN-driven analyses, we show how transformations in cell environment, defined here as changes in cell neighbourhood, are related to changes in embryo geometry and major developmental events during preimplantation mammalian development. Moreover, we demonstrate that modulation of the FGF pathway alters spatial relations of inner cells and neighbourhood distributions, leading to overall changes in embryo architecture. In conjunction with IVEN-driven analyses, we uncover differences in the dynamic of cell size changes over the preimplantation period and determine that cells within the mammalian embryo initiate growth phase only at the time of implantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica E. Forsyth
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- School of Mathematics, Alan Turing Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ali H. Al-Anbaki
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto de la Fuente
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Experimental Embryology, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland
| | - Nikkinder Modare
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Diego Perez-Cortes
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Isabel Rivera
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Rowena Seaton Kelly
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Cotter
- School of Mathematics, Alan Turing Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Berenika Plusa
- Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH), Division of Developmental Biology & Medicine, Michael Smith Building, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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5
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Frum T, Ralston A. Culture conditions antagonize lineage-promoting signaling in the mouse blastocyst. Reproduction 2021; 160:V5-V7. [PMID: 32484160 DOI: 10.1530/rep-20-0107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The mouse preimplantation embryo is a paradigm for discovery of the molecular principles governing formation of specific cell types during development. In this Point of View Article, we show that conditions commonly used for ex vivo culture of preimplantation development are themselves antagonistic to a pathway that is critical for blastocyst lineage commitment.
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Alberio R, Kobayashi T, Surani MA. Conserved features of non-primate bilaminar disc embryos and the germline. Stem Cell Reports 2021; 16:1078-1092. [PMID: 33979595 PMCID: PMC8185373 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2021.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-implantation embryo development commences with a bilaminar disc in most mammals, including humans. Whereas access to early human embryos is limited and subject to greater ethical scrutiny, studies on non-primate embryos developing as bilaminar discs offer exceptional opportunities for advances in gastrulation, the germline, and the basis for evolutionary divergence applicable to human development. Here, we discuss the advantages of investigations in the pig embryo as an exemplar of development of a bilaminar disc embryo with relevance to early human development. Besides, the pig has the potential for the creation of humanized organs for xenotransplantation. Precise genetic engineering approaches, imaging, and single-cell analysis are cost effective and efficient, enabling research into some outstanding questions on human development and for developing authentic models of early human development with stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro Alberio
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK.
| | - Toshihiro Kobayashi
- Center for Genetic Analysis of Behavior, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan; The Graduate University of Advanced Studies, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - M Azim Surani
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK; Wellcome Trust/Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QR, UK.
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7
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Llobat L. Pluripotency and Growth Factors in Early Embryonic Development of Mammals: A Comparative Approach. Vet Sci 2021; 8:vetsci8050078. [PMID: 34064445 PMCID: PMC8147802 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci8050078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The regulation of early events in mammalian embryonic development is a complex process. In the early stages, pluripotency, cellular differentiation, and growth should occur at specific times and these events are regulated by different genes that are expressed at specific times and locations. The genes related to pluripotency and cellular differentiation, and growth factors that determine successful embryonic development are different (or differentially expressed) among mammalian species. Some genes are fundamental for controlling pluripotency in some species but less fundamental in others, for example, Oct4 is particularly relevant in bovine early embryonic development, whereas Oct4 inhibition does not affect ovine early embryonic development. In addition, some mechanisms that regulate cellular differentiation do not seem to be clear or evolutionarily conserved. After cellular differentiation, growth factors are relevant in early development, and their effects also differ among species, for example, insulin-like growth factor improves the blastocyst development rate in some species but does not have the same effect in mice. Some growth factors influence genes related to pluripotency, and therefore, their role in early embryo development is not limited to cell growth but could also involve the earliest stages of development. In this review, we summarize the differences among mammalian species regarding the regulation of pluripotency, cellular differentiation, and growth factors in the early stages of embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Llobat
- Research Group Microbiological Agents Associated with Animal Reproduction (PROVAGINBIO), Department of Animal Production and Health, Veterinary Public Health and Food Science and Technology (PASAPTA) Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain
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8
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Springer C, Wolf E, Simmet K. A New Toolbox in Experimental Embryology-Alternative Model Organisms for Studying Preimplantation Development. J Dev Biol 2021; 9:15. [PMID: 33918361 PMCID: PMC8167745 DOI: 10.3390/jdb9020015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Preimplantation development is well conserved across mammalian species, but major differences in developmental kinetics, regulation of early lineage differentiation and implantation require studies in different model organisms, especially to better understand human development. Large domestic species, such as cattle and pig, resemble human development in many different aspects, i.e., the timing of zygotic genome activation, mechanisms of early lineage differentiations and the period until blastocyst formation. In this article, we give an overview of different assisted reproductive technologies, which are well established in cattle and pig and make them easily accessible to study early embryonic development. We outline the available technologies to create genetically modified models and to modulate lineage differentiation as well as recent methodological developments in genome sequencing and imaging, which form an immense toolbox for research. Finally, we compare the most recent findings in regulation of the first lineage differentiations across species and show how alternative models enhance our understanding of preimplantation development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Springer
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center and Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany; (C.S.); (E.W.)
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center and Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany; (C.S.); (E.W.)
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 81377 Munich, Germany
- Center for Innovative Medical Models (CiMM), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany
| | - Kilian Simmet
- Chair for Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center and Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 85764 Oberschleissheim, Germany; (C.S.); (E.W.)
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9
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Toyooka Y. Pluripotent stem cells in the research for extraembryonic cell differentiation. Dev Growth Differ 2021; 63:127-139. [PMID: 33583019 DOI: 10.1111/dgd.12716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) are pluripotent stem cell populations derived from the preimplantation embryo and are used to study the differentiation of many types of somatic and germ cells in developing embryos. They are also used to study cell lineages of extraembryonic tissues, such as the trophectoderm (TE) and the primitive endoderm (PrE). mESC cultures are suitable systems for reproducing cellular and molecular events occurring during the differentiation of these cell types, such as changes in gene expression patterns, signaling events, and genome rearrangements although the consistency between the results obtained using mESCs and those of in vivo studies on embryos should be carefully taken into account. Since TE and PrE cells can be induced from mESCs in vitro, mESC cultures are useful systems to study differentiation of these cell lineages during development, if used appropriately. In addition, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), such as human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), are capable of generating extraembryonic lineages in vitro and are promising tools to study the differentiation of these lineages in the human embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayoi Toyooka
- Department of Clinical Application, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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10
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Cui W, Marcho C, Wang Y, Degani R, Golan M, Tremblay KD, Rivera-Pérez JA, Mager J. MED20 is essential for early embryogenesis and regulates NANOG expression. Reproduction 2020; 157:215-222. [PMID: 30571656 DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mediator is an evolutionarily conserved multi-subunit complex, bridging transcriptional activators and repressors to the general RNA polymerase II (Pol II) initiation machinery. Though the Mediator complex is crucial for the transcription of almost all Pol II promoters in eukaryotic organisms, the phenotypes of individual Mediator subunit mutants are each distinct. Here, we report for the first time, the essential role of subunit MED20 in early mammalian embryo development. Although Med20 mutant mouse embryos exhibit normal morphology at E3.5 blastocyst stage, they cannot be recovered at early post-gastrulation stages. Outgrowth assays show that mutant blastocysts cannot hatch from the zona pellucida, indicating impaired blastocyst function. Assessments of cell death and cell lineage specification reveal that apoptosis, inner cell mass, trophectoderm and primitive endoderm markers are normal in mutant blastocysts. However, the epiblast marker NANOG is ectopically expressed in the trophectoderm of Med20 mutants, indicative of defects in trophoblast specification. These results suggest that MED20 specifically, and the Mediator complex in general, are essential for the earliest steps of mammalian development and cell lineage specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Chelsea Marcho
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yongsheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Rinat Degani
- 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
| | - Kimberly D Tremblay
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jaime A Rivera-Pérez
- Division of Genes and Development, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jesse Mager
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Saiz N, Mora-Bitria L, Rahman S, George H, Herder JP, Garcia-Ojalvo J, Hadjantonakis AK. Growth-factor-mediated coupling between lineage size and cell fate choice underlies robustness of mammalian development. eLife 2020; 9:e56079. [PMID: 32720894 PMCID: PMC7513828 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Precise control and maintenance of population size is fundamental for organismal development and homeostasis. The three cell types of the mammalian blastocyst are generated in precise proportions over a short time, suggesting a mechanism to ensure a reproducible outcome. We developed a minimal mathematical model demonstrating growth factor signaling is sufficient to guarantee this robustness and which anticipates an embryo's response to perturbations in lineage composition. Addition of lineage-restricted cells both in vivo and in silico, causes a shift of the fate of progenitors away from the supernumerary cell type, while eliminating cells using laser ablation biases the specification of progenitors toward the targeted cell type. Finally, FGF4 couples fate decisions to lineage composition through changes in local growth factor concentration, providing a basis for the regulative abilities of the early mammalian embryo whereby fate decisions are coordinated at the population level to robustly generate tissues in the right proportions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Néstor Saiz
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
| | - Laura Mora-Bitria
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Shahadat Rahman
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
| | - Hannah George
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
| | - Jeremy P Herder
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
| | - Jordi Garcia-Ojalvo
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna-Katerina Hadjantonakis
- Developmental Biology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, United States
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12
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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: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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13
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Kuang L, Lei M, Li C, Guo Z, Ren Y, Zhang X, Zheng J, Zhang C, Yang C, Mei X, Tang L, Ji Y, Deng X, Yang R, Xie X. Whole transcriptome sequencing reveals that non-coding RNAs are related to embryo morphogenesis and development in rabbits. Genomics 2020; 112:2203-2212. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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14
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Warzych E, Pawlak P, Lechniak D, Madeja ZE. WNT signalling supported by MEK/ERK inhibition is essential to maintain pluripotency in bovine preimplantation embryo. Dev Biol 2020; 463:63-76. [PMID: 32360193 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Capturing stable embryonic stem cell (ESC) lines from domesticated animals still remains one of the challenges of non-rodent embryology. The stake is high, as stable ESCs derived from species such as cattle present high economic and scientific value. Understanding of the processes leading to the embryonic lineage segregation is crucial to provide species-orientated molecular environment capable of supporting self-renewal and pluripotency. Therefore, the aim of this study was to validate the action of the two core regulatory pathways (WNT and MEK/ERK) during bovine embryo development. In vitro produced bovine embryos were obtained in the presence of inhibitors (i), which enable activation of the WNT pathway (via GSK3i, CHIR99021) and suppression of MEK signalling by PD0325901 in the 2i system and PD184325 and SU5402 in the 3i system. We have followed the changes in the distribution of the key lineage specific markers both at the transcript and protein level. Our results showed that WNT signalling promotes the expression of key inner cell mass (ICM) specific markers in bovine embryos, regardless of the MEK/ERK inhibitor cocktail used. MEK/ERK downregulation is crucial to maintain OCT4 and NANOG expression within the ICM and to prevent their exclusion from the trophectoderm (TE). At the same time, the classical TE marker (CDX2) was downregulated at the mRNA and protein level. As a follow up for the observed pluripotency stimulating effect of the inhibitors, we have tested the potential of the 2i and the 3i culture conditions (supported by LIF) to derive primary bovine ESC lines. As a result, we propose a model in which all of the primary signalling pathways determining embryonic cell fate are active in bovine embryos, yet the requirement for pluripotency maintenance in cattle may differ from the described standards. WNT activation leads to the formation (and stabilisation of the ICM) and MEK/ERK signalling is maintained at low levels. Unlike in the mouse, GATA6 is expressed in both ICM and TE. MEK/ERK signalling affects HP formation in cattle, but this process is activated at the post-blastocyst stage. With regard to self-renewal, 2i is preferable, as 3i also blocks the FGF receptor, what may prevent PI3K signalling, important for pluripotency and self-renewal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Warzych
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Piotr Pawlak
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Dorota Lechniak
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Zofia Eliza Madeja
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
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15
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The effect of dual inhibition of Ras-MEK-ERK and GSK3β pathways on development of in vitro cultured rabbit embryos. ZYGOTE 2020; 28:183-190. [PMID: 32192548 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199419000753] [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] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dual inhibition (2i) of Ras-MEK-ERK and GSK3β pathways enables the derivation of embryo stem cells (ESCs) from refractory mouse strains and, for permissive strains, allows ESC derivation with no external protein factor stimuli involvement. In addition, blocking of ERK signalling in 8-cell-stage mouse embryos leads to ablation of GATA4/6 expression in hypoblasts, suggesting fibroblast growth factor (FGF) dependence of hypoblast formation in the mouse. In human, bovine or porcine embryos, the hypoblast remains unaffected or displays slight-to-moderate reduction in cell number. In this study, we demonstrated that segregation of the hypoblast and the epiblast in rabbit embryos is FGF independent and 2i treatment elicits only a limited reinforcement in favour of OCT4-positive epiblast populations against the GATA4-/6-positive hypoblast population. It has been previously shown that TGFβ/Activin A inhibition overcomes the pervasive differentiation and inhomogeneity of rat iPSCs, rat ESCs and human iPSCs while prompting them to acquire naïve properties. However, TGFβ/Activin A inhibition, alone or together with Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK) inhibition, was not compatible with the viability of rabbit embryos according to the ultrastructural analysis of preimplantation rabbit embryos by electron microscopy. In rabbit models ovulation upon mating allows the precise timing of progression of the pregnancy. It produces several embryos of the desired stage in one pregnancy and a relatively short gestation period, making the rabbit embryo a suitable model to discover the cellular functions and mechanisms of maintenance of pluripotency in embryonic cells and the embryo-derived stem cells of other mammals.
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16
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Afanassieff M, Perold F, Bouchereau W, Cadiou A, Beaujean N. Embryo-derived and induced pluripotent stem cells: Towards naive pluripotency and chimeric competency in rabbits. Exp Cell Res 2020; 389:111908. [PMID: 32057751 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.111908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Both embryo-derived (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines have been established in rabbit. They exhibit the essential characteristics of primed pluripotency. In this review, we described their characteristic features at both molecular and functional levels. We also described the attempts to reprogram rabbit pluripotent stem cells (rbPSCs) toward the naive state of pluripotency using methods established previously to capture this state in rodents and primates. In the last section, we described and discussed our current knowledge of rabbit embryo development pertaining to the mechanisms of early lineage segregation. We argued that the molecular signature of naive-state pluripotency differs between mice and rabbits. We finally discussed some of the key issues to be addressed for capturing the naive state in rbPSCs, including the generation of embryo/PSC chimeras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marielle Afanassieff
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, INRAE, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France.
| | - Florence Perold
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, INRAE, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Wilhelm Bouchereau
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, INRAE, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Antoine Cadiou
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, INRAE, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France
| | - Nathalie Beaujean
- Univ Lyon, Université Lyon 1, Inserm, INRAE, Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, U1208, USC1361, F-69500, Bron, France
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17
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Sanz G, Daniel N, Aubrière MC, Archilla C, Jouneau L, Jaszczyszyn Y, Duranthon V, Chavatte-Palmer P, Jouneau A. Differentiation of derived rabbit trophoblast stem cells under fluid shear stress to mimic the trophoblastic barrier. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2019; 1863:1608-1618. [PMID: 31278960 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The placenta controls exchanges between the mother and the fetus and therefore fetal development and growth. The maternal environment can lead to disturbance of placental functions, with consequences on the health of the offspring. Since the rabbit placenta is very close to that of humans, rabbit models can provide biomedical data to study human placental function. Yet, to limit the use of animal experiments and to investigate the mechanistic aspects of placental function, we developed a new cell culture model in which rabbit trophoblast cells are differentiated from rabbit trophoblast stem cells. METHODS Rabbit trophoblast stems cells were derived from blastocysts and differentiated onto a collagen gel and in the presence of a flow of culture medium to mimic maternal blood flow. Transcriptome analysis was performed on the stem and differentiated cells. RESULTS Our culture model allows the differentiation of trophoblast stem cells. In particular, the fluid shear stress enhances microvilli formation on the differentiated cell surface, lipid droplets formation and fusion of cytotrophoblasts into syncytiotrophoblasts. In addition, the transcriptome analysis confirms the early trophoblast identity of the derived stem cells and reveals upregulation of signaling pathways involved in trophoblast differentiation. CONCLUSION Thereby, the culture model allows mimicking the in vivo conditions in which maternal blood flow exerts a shear stress on trophoblast cells that influences their phenotype. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Our culture model can be used to study the differentiation of trophoblast stem cells into cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts, as well as the trophoblast function in physiological and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guenhaël Sanz
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | - Nathalie Daniel
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Catherine Archilla
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Luc Jouneau
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Yan Jaszczyszyn
- Plateforme de Séquençage I2BC, CNRS, UMR9198, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | | | | | - Alice Jouneau
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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18
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Ajduk A, Duncan EJ. From genes to environment in shaping of an embryo: understanding embryonic-extraembryonic interactions at the BSDB autumn meeting in Oxford. Dev Genes Evol 2019; 229:83-87. [PMID: 30798362 PMCID: PMC6500506 DOI: 10.1007/s00427-019-00628-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2018] [Accepted: 02/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The British Society for Developmental Biology Autumn Meeting, held in Oxford in September 2018, was the third in a series of international workshops which have been focussed on development at the extraembryonic-embryonic interface. This workshop, entitled "Embryonic-Extraembryonic Interactions: from Genetics to Environment" built on the two previous workshops held in 2011 (Leuven, Belgium) and 2015 (Göttingen, Germany). This workshop brought together researchers utilising a diverse range of organisms (including both vertebrate and invertebrate species) and a range of experimental approaches to answer core questions in developmental biology. This meeting report highlights some of the major themes emerging from the workshop including an evolutionary perspective as well as recent advances that have been made through the adoption of emerging techniques and technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ajduk
- Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa 1, 02-096, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Elizabeth J Duncan
- School of Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK.
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19
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Ramos-Ibeas P, Sang F, Zhu Q, Tang WWC, Withey S, Klisch D, Wood L, Loose M, Surani MA, Alberio R. Pluripotency and X chromosome dynamics revealed in pig pre-gastrulating embryos by single cell analysis. Nat Commun 2019; 10:500. [PMID: 30700715 PMCID: PMC6353908 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08387-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
High-resolution molecular programmes delineating the cellular foundations of mammalian embryogenesis have emerged recently. Similar analysis of human embryos is limited to pre-implantation stages, since early post-implantation embryos are largely inaccessible. Notwithstanding, we previously suggested conserved principles of pig and human early development. For further insight on pluripotent states and lineage delineation, we analysed pig embryos at single cell resolution. Here we show progressive segregation of inner cell mass and trophectoderm in early blastocysts, and of epiblast and hypoblast in late blastocysts. We show that following an emergent short naive pluripotent signature in early embryos, there is a protracted appearance of a primed signature in advanced embryonic stages. Dosage compensation with respect to the X-chromosome in females is attained via X-inactivation in late epiblasts. Detailed human-pig comparison is a basis towards comprehending early human development and a foundation for further studies of human pluripotent stem cell differentiation in pig interspecies chimeras. Lineage segregation from conception to gastrulation has been mapped at the single cell level in mouse, human and monkey. Here, the authors provide a comprehensive analysis of porcine preimplantation development using single cell RNA-seq; mapping metabolic changes, X chromosome inactivation and signalling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila Ramos-Ibeas
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.,Animal Reproduction Department, National Institute for Agricultural and Food Research and Technology, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fei Sang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Qifan Zhu
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Walfred W C Tang
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK.,Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Sarah Withey
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.,Stem Cell Engineering Group, Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, Building 75, St Lucia, QLD, 4072, Australia
| | - Doris Klisch
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Liam Wood
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK
| | - Matt Loose
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - M Azim Surani
- Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QN, UK. .,Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK. .,Wellcome Trust Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge, CB2 1QR, UK.
| | - Ramiro Alberio
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.
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20
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Betters E, Charney RM, Garcia-Castro MI. Early specification and development of rabbit neural crest cells. Dev Biol 2018; 444 Suppl 1:S181-S192. [PMID: 29932896 PMCID: PMC6685428 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2018.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2018] [Revised: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The phenomenal migratory and differentiation capacity of neural crest cells has been well established across model organisms. While the earliest stages of neural crest development have been investigated in non-mammalian model systems such as Xenopus and Aves, the early specification of this cell population has not been evaluated in mammalian embryos, of which the murine model is the most prevalent. Towards a more comprehensive understanding of mammalian neural crest formation and human comparative studies, we have used the rabbit as a mammalian system for the study of early neural crest specification and development. We examine the expression profile of well-characterized neural crest markers in rabbit embryos across developmental time from early gastrula to later neurula stages, and provide a comparison to markers of migratory neural crest in the chick. Importantly, we apply explant specification assays to address the pivotal question of mammalian neural crest ontogeny, and provide the first evidence that a specified population of neural crest cells exists in the rabbit gastrula prior to the overt expression of neural crest markers. Finally, we demonstrate that FGF signaling is necessary for early rabbit neural crest formation, as SU5402 treatment strongly represses neural crest marker expression in explant assays. This study pioneers the rabbit as a model for neural crest development, and provides the first demonstration of mammalian neural crest specification and the requirement of FGF signaling in this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Betters
- School of Medicine Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Rebekah M Charney
- School of Medicine Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Martín I Garcia-Castro
- School of Medicine Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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21
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Abstract
Establishing the different lineages of the early mammalian embryo takes place over several days and several rounds of cell divisions from the fertilized egg. The resulting blastocyst contains the pluripotent cells of the epiblast, from which embryonic stem cells can be derived, as well as the extraembryonic lineages required for a mammalian embryo to survive in the uterine environment. The dynamics of the cellular and genetic interactions controlling the initiation and maintenance of these lineages in the mouse embryo are increasingly well understood through application of the tools of single-cell genomics, gene editing, and in vivo imaging. Exploring the similarities and differences between mouse and human development will be essential for translation of these findings into new insights into human biology, derivation of stem cells, and improvements in fertility treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet Rossant
- Program in Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A4, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A8, Canada
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22
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Simmet K, Zakhartchenko V, Wolf E. Comparative aspects of early lineage specification events in mammalian embryos - insights from reverse genetics studies. Cell Cycle 2018; 17:1688-1695. [PMID: 29995579 PMCID: PMC6133330 DOI: 10.1080/15384101.2018.1496747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the mammalian class, formation of the blastocyst is morphologically highly conserved among different species. The molecular and cellular events during preimplantation embryo development have been studied extensively in the mouse as model organism, because multiple genetically defined strains and a plethora of reverse genetics tools are available to dissect specific gene functions and regulatory networks. However, major differences in preimplantation developmental kinetics, implantation, and placentation exist among mammalians, and recent studies in species other than mouse showed, that even regulatory mechanisms of the first lineage differentiation events and maintenance of pluripotency are not always conserved. Here, we focus on the first and the second lineage segregation in mouse and bovine embryos, when the first differentiated cell types emerge. We outline their common features and differences in the regulation of these essential events during embryonic development with a glance at further species. In addition, we show how new reverse genetics strategies aid the study of regulatory circuits in embryos of domestic species, enhancing our overall understanding of mammalian preimplantation development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kilian Simmet
- Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Valeri Zakhartchenko
- Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Eckhard Wolf
- Molecular Animal Breeding and Biotechnology, Gene Center, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Laboratory for Functional Genome Analysis (LAFUGA), LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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23
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Pfeffer PL. Building Principles for Constructing a Mammalian Blastocyst Embryo. BIOLOGY 2018; 7:biology7030041. [PMID: 30041494 PMCID: PMC6164496 DOI: 10.3390/biology7030041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The self-organisation of a fertilised egg to form a blastocyst structure, which consists of three distinct cell lineages (trophoblast, epiblast and hypoblast) arranged around an off-centre cavity, is unique to mammals. While the starting point (the zygote) and endpoint (the blastocyst) are similar in all mammals, the intervening events have diverged. This review examines and compares the descriptive and functional data surrounding embryonic gene activation, symmetry-breaking, first and second lineage establishment, and fate commitment in a wide range of mammalian orders. The exquisite detail known from mouse embryogenesis, embryonic stem cell studies and the wealth of recent single cell transcriptomic experiments are used to highlight the building principles underlying early mammalian embryonic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Pfeffer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6012, New Zealand.
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24
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Plöger R, Viebahn C. Pitx2 and nodal as conserved early markers of the anterior-posterior axis in the rabbit embryo. Ann Anat 2018; 218:256-264. [PMID: 29705588 DOI: 10.1016/j.aanat.2018.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Attaining molecular and morphological axial polarity during gastrulation is a fundamental early requirement for normal development of the embryo. In mammals, the first morphological sign of the anterior-posterior axis appears anteriorly in the form of the anterior marginal crescent (or anterior visceral endoderm) while in the avian the first such sign is the Koller's sickle at the posterior pole of the embryonic disc. Despite this inverse mode of axis formation many genes and molecular pathways involved in various steps of this process seem to be evolutionarily conserved amongst amniotes, the nodal gene being a well-known example with its functional involvement prior and during gastrulation. The pitx2 gene, however, is a new candidate described in the chick as an early marker for anterior-posterior polarity and as a regulator of axis formation including twinning. To find out whether pitx2 has retained its inductive and early marker function during the evolution of mammals this study analyses pitx2 and nodal expression at parallel stages during formation of the anterior-posterior polarity in the early rabbit embryo using whole-mount in situ hybridization and serial light-microscopical sections. At a late pre-gastrulation stage a localized reduction of nodal expression presages the position of the anterior pole of the embryonic disc and thus serves as the earliest molecular marker of anterior-posterior polarity known so far. Pitx2 is expressed in a polarized manner in the anterior marginal crescent and in the posterior half of the embryonic disc during further development. In the anterior segment of the posterior pitx2 expression domain, the anterior streak domain (ASD) is defined by nodal expression as a hypothetical progenitor region of the anterior half of the primitive streak. The expression patterns of both genes thus serve as signs of a conserved involvement in early axis formation in amniotes and, possibly, in twinning in mammals as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Plöger
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christoph Viebahn
- Institute of Anatomy and Embryology, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, Germany.
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25
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Fabrèges D, Daniel N, Duranthon V, Peyriéras N. Control of the proportion of inner cells by asymmetric divisions and the ensuing resilience of cloned rabbit embryos. Development 2018; 145:dev.152041. [PMID: 29567671 PMCID: PMC5964649 DOI: 10.1242/dev.152041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian embryo cloning by nuclear transfer has a low success rate. This is hypothesized to correlate with a high variability of early developmental steps that segregate outer cells, which are fated to extra-embryonic tissues, from inner cells, which give rise to the embryo proper. Exploring the cell lineage of wild-type embryos and clones, imaged in toto until hatching, highlights the respective contributions of cell proliferation, death and asymmetric divisions to phenotypic variability. Preferential cell death of inner cells in clones, probably pertaining to the epigenetic plasticity of the transferred nucleus, is identified as a major difference with effects on the proportion of inner cell. In wild type and clones, similar patterns of outer cell asymmetric divisions are shown to be essential to the robust proportion of inner cells observed in wild type. Asymmetric inner cell division, which is not described in mice, is identified as a regulator of the proportion of inner cells and likely gives rise to resilient clones. Summary: A unique quantitative approach based on complete reconstruction of the cell lineage that unveils an unknown mechanism of size control in cell populations of rabbit blastocysts, wild types or clones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitri Fabrèges
- BioEmergences Laboratory, CNRS USR 3695, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Nathalie Daniel
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France
| | | | - Nadine Peyriéras
- BioEmergences Laboratory, CNRS USR 3695, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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26
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Abstract
Mammalian preimplantation development involves two lineage specifications: first, the CDX2-expressing trophectoderm (TE) and a pluripotent inner cell mass (ICM) are separated during blastocyst formation. Second, the pluripotent epiblast (EPI; expressing NANOG) and the differentiated primitive endoderm (PrE; expressing GATA6) diverge within the ICM. Studies in mice revealed that OCT4/POU5F1 is at the center of a pluripotency regulatory network. To study the role of OCT4 in bovine preimplantation development, we generated OCT4 knockout (KO) fibroblasts by CRISPR-Cas9 and produced embryos by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). SCNT embryos from nontransfected fibroblasts and embryos produced by in vitro fertilization served as controls. In OCT4 KO morulae (day 5), ∼70% of the nuclei were OCT4 positive, indicating that maternal OCT4 mRNA partially maintains OCT4 protein expression during early development. In contrast, OCT4 KO blastocysts (day 7) lacked OCT4 protein entirely. CDX2 was detected only in TE cells; OCT4 is thus not required to suppress CDX2 in the ICM. Control blastocysts showed a typical salt-and-pepper distribution of NANOG- and GATA6-positive cells in the ICM. In contrast, NANOG was absent or very faint in the ICM of OCT4 KO blastocysts, and no cells expressing exclusively NANOG were observed. This mimics findings in OCT4-deficient human blastocysts but is in sharp contrast to Oct4-null mouse blastocysts, where NANOG persists and PrE development fails. Our study supports bovine embryogenesis as a model for early human development and exemplifies a general strategy for studying the roles of specific genes in embryos of domestic species.
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27
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Abstract
During the first days following fertilization, cells of mammalian embryo gradually lose totipotency, acquiring distinct identity. The first three lineages specified in the mammalian embryo are pluripotent epiblast, which later gives rise to the embryo proper, and two extraembryonic lineages, hypoblast (also known as primitive endoderm) and trophectoderm, which form tissues supporting development of the fetus in utero. Most of our knowledge regarding the mechanisms of early lineage specification in mammals comes from studies in the mouse. However, the growing body of evidence points to both similarities and species-specific differences. Understanding molecular and cellular mechanisms of early embryonic development in nonrodent mammals expands our understanding of basic mechanisms of differentiation and is essential for the development of effective protocols for assisted reproduction in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and for biomedical research. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge on key events in epiblast, hypoblast, and trophoblast differentiation in domestic mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Piliszek
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzebiec, Poland.
| | - Zofia E Madeja
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Poznan, Poland
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Yu Y, Wang X, Zhang X, Zhai Y, Lu X, Ma H, Zhu K, Zhao T, Jiao J, Zhao ZA, Li L. ERK inhibition promotes neuroectodermal precursor commitment by blocking self-renewal and primitive streak formation of the epiblast. Stem Cell Res Ther 2018; 9:2. [PMID: 29304842 PMCID: PMC5756365 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-017-0750-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 12/11/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Pluripotent stem cells hold great promise for regenerative medicine. However, before clinical application, reproducible protocols for pluripotent stem cell differentiation should be established. Extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) signaling plays a central role for the self-renewal of epiblast stem cells (EpiSCs), but its role for subsequent germ layer differentiation is still ambiguous. We proposed that ERK could modulate differentiation of the epiblast. Methods PD0325901 was used to inhibit ERK activation during the differentiation of embryonic stem cells and EpiSCs. Immunofluorescence, western blot analysis, real-time PCR and flow cytometry were used to detect germ layer markers and pathway activation. Results We demonstrate that the ERK phosphorylation level is lower in neuroectoderm of mouse E7.5 embryos than that in the primitive streak. ERK inhibition results in neural lineage commitment of epiblast. Mechanistically, PD0325901 abrogates the expression of primitive streak markers by β-catenin retention in the cytoplasm, and inhibits the expression of OCT4 and NANOG during EpiSC differentiation. Thus, EpiSCs differentiate into neuroectodermal lineage efficiently under PD0325901 treatment. These results suggest that neuroectoderm differentiation does not require extrinsic signals, supporting the default differentiation of neural lineage. Conclusions We report that a single ERK inhibitor, PD0325901, can specify epiblasts and EpiSCs into neural-like cells, providing an efficient strategy for neural differentiation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13287-017-0750-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xiaoxin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yanhua Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xukun Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haixia Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kai Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Tongbiao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jianwei Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhen-Ao Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital & Institute for Cardiovascular Science, Soochow University, 708 Renmin Rd, Suzhou, Jiangsu, 215007, China.
| | - Lei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1 Beichen West Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China. .,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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