Site of the previous meiotic division defines cleavage orientation in the mouse embryo

Berenika Plusa, Joanna B. Grabarek, Karolina Piotrowska, David M. Glover, Magdalena Zernicka-Goetz

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    The conservation of early cleavage patterns in organisms as diverse as echinoderms and mammals suggests that even in highly regulative embryos such as the mouse, division patterns might be important for development1-4. Indeed, the first cleavage divides the fertilized mouse egg into two cells: one cell that contributes predominantly to the embryonic part of the blastocyst, and one that contributes to the abembryonic part5,6. The zygotes of organisms as diverse as echinoderms and mammals follow stereotyped patterns of early cleavage division. This conservation suggests that, even in highly regulative embryos such as the mouse, division patterns are important in development1-4. Here we show, by removing, transplanting or duplicating the animal or vegetal poles of the mouse egg, that a spatial cue at the animal pole orients the plane of this initial division. Embryos with duplicated animal, but not vegetal, poles show abnormalities in chromosome segregation that compromise their development. Our results show that localized factors in the mammalian egg orient the spindle and so define the initial cleavage plane. In increased dosage, however, these factors are detrimental to the correct execution of division.
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)811-815
    Number of pages4
    JournalNature Cell Biology
    Volume4
    Issue number10
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2002

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Site of the previous meiotic division defines cleavage orientation in the mouse embryo'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this