1
|
Isaac E, Berg DK, Pfeffer PL. Using extended growth of cattle embryos in culture to gain insights into bovine developmental events on embryonic days 8 to 10. Theriogenology 2024; 214:10-20. [PMID: 37837723 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.10.004] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
We have previously described an extended embryo culture system, based on uterine composition, growth factors and the cell culture additive B27, for growing cattle embryos in vitro beyond embryonic day 7. Here, extended in vitro embryos are compared to embryos developed in the uterus and are used to establish a developmental staging framework useful for understanding developmental events occurring until Day 10. Immunofluorescence or mRNA expression of the ICM/epiblast markers OCT4, SOX2 and NANOG, hypoblast markers GATA6, SOX17 and GATA4 and trophoblast genes CDX2, GATA3, ASCL2 and IFNT revealed the presence of four stages during this period that can be molecularly distinguished. These are expanded blastocyst, hatched blastocyst, hypoblast layering and early hypoblast migration. Interestingly NANOG and SOX17 show reciprocal expression at the expanded blastocyst stage, well before SOX2 and GATA6 expression refines to a similar so-called "salt and pepper" mutually exclusive expression in the ICM at the hatched blastocyst stage. GATA4 expression is only seen from stages when the hypoblast starts migrating around the blastocyst cavity. Intriguingly, trophoblast still expresses GATA6 and OCT4 in all cells during the expanded blastocyst phase, while SOX2 and SOX17 are seen in only some trophoblast cells. By the hypoblast-epiblast layering stage no trophoblast expression remains except for that of OCT4 protein, which starts waning in trophoblast once the hypoblast begins migrating. Lastly, it is shown that cultured embryos exhibit increased expression of the stress marker TP53 in the epiblast and hypoblast at late stages in comparison to embryos produced in the uterine environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Isaac
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand
| | | | - Peter L Pfeffer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pérez-Gómez A, González-Brusi L, Bermejo-Álvarez P, Ramos-Ibeas P. Lineage Differentiation Markers as a Proxy for Embryo Viability in Farm Ungulates. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:680539. [PMID: 34212020 PMCID: PMC8239129 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.680539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryonic losses constitute a major burden for reproductive efficiency of farm animals. Pregnancy losses in ungulate species, which include cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, majorly occur during the second week of gestation, when the embryo experiences a series of cell differentiation, proliferation, and migration processes encompassed under the term conceptus elongation. Conceptus elongation takes place following blastocyst hatching and involves a massive proliferation of the extraembryonic membranes trophoblast and hypoblast, and the formation of flat embryonic disc derived from the epiblast, which ultimately gastrulates generating the three germ layers. This process occurs prior to implantation and it is exclusive from ungulates, as embryos from other mammalian species such as rodents or humans implant right after hatching. The critical differences in embryo development between ungulates and mice, the most studied mammalian model, have precluded the identification of the genes governing lineage differentiation in livestock species. Furthermore, conceptus elongation has not been recapitulated in vitro, hindering the study of these cellular events. Luckily, recent advances on transcriptomics, genome modification and post-hatching in vitro culture are shedding light into this largely unknown developmental window, uncovering possible molecular markers to determine embryo quality. In this review, we summarize the events occurring during ungulate pre-implantation development, highlighting recent findings which reveal that several dogmas in Developmental Biology established by knock-out murine models do not hold true for other mammals, including humans and farm animals. The developmental failures associated to in vitro produced embryos in farm animals are also discussed together with Developmental Biology tools to assess embryo quality, including molecular markers to assess proper lineage commitment and a post-hatching in vitro culture system able to directly determine developmental potential circumventing the need of experimental animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alba Pérez-Gómez
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Leopoldo González-Brusi
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Bermejo-Álvarez
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Priscila Ramos-Ibeas
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
The polar trophoblast overlays the epiblast in eutherian mammals and, depending on the species, has one of two different fates. It either remains a single-layered, thinning epithelium called "Rauber's layer," which soon disintegrates, or, alternatively, it keeps proliferating, contributing heavily to the population of differentiating, invasive trophoblast cells and, at least in mice, to the induction of gastrulation. While loss of the persistent polar trophoblast in mice leads to reduced induction of gastrulation, we show here that prevention of the loss of the polar trophoblast in cattle results in ectopic domains of the gastrulation marker, BRACHYURY This phenotype, and increased epiblast proliferation, arose when Rauber's layer was maintained for a day longer by countering apoptosis through BCL2 overexpression. This suggests that the disappearance of Rauber's layer is a necessity, presumably to avoid excessive signaling interactions between this layer and the subjacent epiblast. We note that, in all species in which the polar trophoblast persists, including humans and mice, ectopic polar trophoblast signaling is prevented via epiblast cavitation which leads to the (pro)amniotic cavity, whose function is to distance the central epiblast from such signaling interactions.
Collapse
|
4
|
Bernardo AS, Jouneau A, Marks H, Kensche P, Kobolak J, Freude K, Hall V, Feher A, Polgar Z, Sartori C, Bock I, Louet C, Faial T, Kerstens HHD, Bouissou C, Parsonage G, Mashayekhi K, Smith JC, Lazzari G, Hyttel P, Stunnenberg HG, Huynen M, Pedersen RA, Dinnyes A. Mammalian embryo comparison identifies novel pluripotency genes associated with the naïve or primed state. Biol Open 2018; 7:bio.033282. [PMID: 30026265 PMCID: PMC6124576 DOI: 10.1242/bio.033282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
During early mammalian development, transient pools of pluripotent cells emerge that can be immortalised upon stem cell derivation. The pluripotent state, ‘naïve’ or ‘primed’, depends on the embryonic stage and derivation conditions used. Here we analyse the temporal gene expression patterns of mouse, cattle and porcine embryos at stages that harbour different types of pluripotent cells. We document conserved and divergent traits in gene expression, and identify predictor genes shared across the species that are associated with pluripotent states in vivo and in vitro. Amongst these are the pluripotency-linked genes Klf4 and Lin28b. The novel genes discovered include naïve- (Spic, Scpep1 and Gjb5) and primed-associated (Sema6a and Jakmip2) genes as well as naïve to primed transition genes (Dusp6 and Trip6). Both Gjb5 and Dusp6 play a role in pluripotency since their knockdown results in differentiation and downregulation of key pluripotency genes. Our interspecies comparison revealed new insights of pluripotency, pluripotent stem cell identity and a new molecular criterion for distinguishing between pluripotent states in various species, including human. Summary: Interspecies comparison of mouse, bovine and pig embryos revealed conserved genes which distinguish between naïve and primed pluripotency states, including in human. Some of these genes interfere with the pluripotency network and lead to differentiation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreia S Bernardo
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK .,Developmental Biology Department, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Alice Jouneau
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France
| | - Hendrik Marks
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Philip Kensche
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Kristine Freude
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Groennegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Vanessa Hall
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Groennegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Anita Feher
- BioTalentum Ltd, Gödöllő, 2100 Godollo, Hungary
| | | | - Chiara Sartori
- Avantea, Laboratory of Reproductive Technologies, Cremona, 26100 Cremona, Italy.,Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, CH-1005 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Istvan Bock
- BioTalentum Ltd, Gödöllő, 2100 Godollo, Hungary
| | - Claire Louet
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France
| | - Tiago Faial
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Hindrik H D Kerstens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Camille Bouissou
- Developmental Biology Department, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Gregory Parsonage
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK.,Developmental Biology Department, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Kaveh Mashayekhi
- BioTalentum Ltd, Gödöllő, 2100 Godollo, Hungary.,Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Groennegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - James C Smith
- Developmental Biology Department, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Rd, Kings Cross, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Giovanna Lazzari
- Avantea, Laboratory of Reproductive Technologies, Cremona, 26100 Cremona, Italy
| | - Poul Hyttel
- Department of Veterinary Clinical and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Groennegaardsvej 7, 1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Hendrik G Stunnenberg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn Huynen
- Center for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Roger A Pedersen
- The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - Andras Dinnyes
- BioTalentum Ltd, Gödöllő, 2100 Godollo, Hungary .,Molecular Animal Biotechnology Laboratory, Szent István University, H-2100 Godollo, Gödöllő, Hungary.,Departments of Equine Sciences and Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, 3584CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hue I. Determinant molecular markers for peri-gastrulating bovine embryo development. Reprod Fertil Dev 2016; 28:51-65. [DOI: 10.1071/rd15355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Peri-gastrulation defines the time frame between blastocyst formation and implantation that also corresponds in cattle to elongation, pregnancy recognition and uterine secretion. Optimally, this developmental window prepares the conceptus for implantation, placenta formation and fetal development. However, this is a highly sensitive period, as evidenced by the incidence of embryo loss or early post-implantation mortality after AI, embryo transfer or somatic cell nuclear transfer. Elongation markers have often been used within this time frame to assess developmental defects or delays, originating either from the embryo, the uterus or the dam. Comparatively, gastrulation markers have not received great attention, although elongation and gastrulation are linked by reciprocal interactions at the molecular and cellular levels. To make this clearer, this peri-gastrulating period is described herein with a focus on its main developmental landmarks, and the resilience of the landmarks in the face of biotechnologies is questioned.
Collapse
|
6
|
van Leeuwen J, Berg DK, Pfeffer PL. Morphological and Gene Expression Changes in Cattle Embryos from Hatched Blastocyst to Early Gastrulation Stages after Transfer of In Vitro Produced Embryos. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0129787. [PMID: 26076128 PMCID: PMC4468082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Accepted: 05/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A detailed morphological staging system for cattle embryos at stages following blastocyst hatching and preceding gastrulation is presented here together with spatiotemporal mapping of gene expression for BMP4, BRACHYURY, CERBERUS1 (CER1), CRIPTO, EOMESODERMIN, FURIN and NODAL. Five stages are defined based on distinct developmental events. The first of these is the differentiation of the visceral hypoblast underlying the epiblast, from the parietal hypoblast underlying the mural trophoblast. The second concerns the formation of an asymmetrically positioned, morphologically recognisable region within the visceral hypoblast that is marked by the presence of CER1 and absence of BMP4 expression. We have termed this the anterior visceral hypoblast or AVH. Intra-epiblast cavity formation and the disappearance of the polar trophoblast overlying the epiblast (Rauber’s layer) have been mapped in relation to AVH formation. The third chronological event involves the transition of the epiblast into the embryonic ectoderm with concomitant onset of posterior NODAL, EOMES and BRACHYURY expression. Lastly, gastrulation commences as the posterior medial embryonic ectoderm layer thickens to form the primitive streak and cells ingress between the embryonic ectoderm and hypoblast. At this stage a novel domain of CER1 expression is seen whereas the AVH disappears. Comparison with the mouse reveals that while gene expression patterns at the onset of gastrulation are well conserved, asymmetry establishment, which relies on extraembryonic tissues such as the hypoblast and trophoblast, has diverged in terms of both gene expression and morphology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica van Leeuwen
- AgResearch Ruakura, Animal Productivity Section, Hamilton, New Zealand
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Debra K. Berg
- AgResearch Ruakura, Animal Productivity Section, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Peter L. Pfeffer
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|