Early cell fate decisions in the mammalian embryo Flashcards
When do inner cell mass and trophectoderm become morphologically apparent?
These cells become apparent morphologically at blastocyst stage(blastula), but molecular changes occur before this
What does the first cell fate decision seperate?
First cell fate decision separates the ICM and TE in the blastocyst
What does the second cell fate decision give rise to?
Second cell fate decision gives the rise of epiblast and hypoblast
What are inner cell mass and trophectoderm governed by?
-Trophectoderm and inner cell mass are governed by transcription factors and the expression of transcription
What are trophectoderm cells associated with the expression of?
-Trophectoderm cells are associated with the expression of the Tead4 and Cdx2 transcription factors
What are inner cell mass associated with the expression of?
-Inner cell mass cells are associated with the expression of Nanog, Oct4, Sox3, Sal4 transcription factors
What binary decision do the inner cell mass undergo?
- Inner cell mass makes binary decision to give rise to epiblast(EPI) or primitive endoderm(PE)
- GATA6 transcription factor is associated with the epiblast cell fate
- Nanog transcription factors is associated with the primitive endoderm cell fate
- GATA6 transcription factor is associated with the epiblast cell fate
What transcription factors are expressed in inner cell mass?
-Oct3/4, Sox3, Sal4, Nanog transcription factors are expressed in inner cell mass
What transcription factors are expressed in trophectoderm?
-Cdx2, Gata4 expressed in Trophectoderm
What are the 2 possible mechanisms for the generation of multiple cell types and polarity?
- Localised maternal determinant
2. No localised maternal determinant
Localised maternal determinant
- Something passed down the mother
- The polarity within the embryo is set aside
- Early polarisation may lead to early asymmetric inheritance
- The asymmetric inheritance is the reinforced to give rise to 2 different cell types
No localised maternal determinant
-External influences can determine polarity of embryo
What does it mean by cells being equivalent up until the 8-16 cell stage?
- Up until the 8-16 cell stage the embryo cells are equivalent
- This means that if you remove a single cell, it has the ability to give rise to a normal embryo
How are initial differences established between cells?
- It is possible that early asymmetry to occur and early cells aren’t homogeneous
- This early asymmetry may be provided by the polar bodies
- As those cells begin to divide, some cells will end up towards the outside of the embryo and some cells will end up towards the inside of the cluster of cells
- Some cells are partly dependent on position and divide in different ways.
- Some divide symmetrically and become equivalent
- Some divide asymmetrically and the cell may take up a different fate.
- During the 16 cell phase, the outside cells will develop polarity and epithelium phenotype
- As the blastocyst is formed, there’s differences within the inner cell mass. Some may be lying closer to the blastocoel and may receive signals from the blastocoel.
How is Cdx2 mRNA distributed?
-Cdx2 messenger RNA isn’t distributed equally in the embryo.
Where is Cdx2 mRNA more concentrated?
Cdx2 mRNA is more concentrated on the polarised outer edges of the embryo
What happens to the concentration of the inherited Cdx2 mRNA when the cells of the outside embryo undergo symmetrical division?
-If the cells of the outside undergo symmetrical division, both cells will inherit the same concentration of Cdx2 mRNA
What happens to the concentration of the inherited Cdx2 mRNA when the cells of the outside embryo undergo asymmetrical division?
-If the cells divide asymmetrically, the one cell will inherit a greater concentration of Cdx2 mRNA than the other cell.
What is expression of Cdx2 party established by?
-Expression of Cdx2 is partly established by cell polarity
What does Cdx2 promote differentiation of cells into?
-Cdx2 promotes differentiation of cells into trophectoderm
What transcription factors does Csx2 inhibit?
-Cdx2 inhibits NANOG and OCT4 transcription factors