Developmental failures occurring shortly after blastocyst hatching from the zona pellucida constitute a major cause of pregnancy losses in both humans and farm ungulates. The developmental events occurring following hatching in ungulates include the proliferation and maturation of extra-embryonic membranes – trophoblast and hypoblast – and the formation of a flat embryonic disc, similar to that found in humans, which initiates gastrulation prior to implantation. Unfortunately, our understanding of these key processes for embryo survival is limited because current culture systems cannot sustain ungulate embryo development beyond hatching. Here, we report a culture system that recapitulates most developmental landmarks of gastrulating ovine embryos: trophoblast maturation, hypoblast migration, embryonic disc formation, disappearance of the Rauber's layer, epiblast polarization and mesoderm differentiation. Our system represents a highly valuable platform for exploring the cell differentiation, proliferation and migration processes governing gastrulation in a flat embryonic disc and for understanding pregnancy failures during the second week of gestation. This article has an associated ‘The people behind the papers’ interview.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.