A Review of Early Mouse Embryogenesis and its Applications to Domestic Species

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Abstract
The early mammalian embryo undergoes a variety of changes as development proceeds from the one-cell to the blastocyst stage. Most of these changes can be related to activity of the genome. In the early embryo the genome is quiescent and does not produce RNA until species-specific cell stages. This activation of the embryonic genome results in changes in distribution of cell surface microvilli and spatial organization of cytoplasmic organelles, as well as in establishment of cellular junctions and differential utilization of carbohydrates as energy sources. Many of these events have been well characterized for the mouse, but similar comparative studies in domestic species are lacking. This review attempts to highlight early development in the mouse and draw comparisons with domestic species.