Cosegregation of monoclonal antibody reactivity and cell behaviour in the mouse preimplantation embryo

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Expression of an antigen, recognized by a monoclonal antibody raised against PCI 3 embryonal carcinoma, is described in mouse preimplantation embryogenesis. The antigen is found in the cytoplasm of ovulated ova and is first noted on the cell surface of the 1-cell embryo 20 h post-ovulation. Surface labelling of blastomeres is uniform until the 8-cell stage when antigen expression becomes polarized along the radial axis of the embryo. Two major populations of blastomeres are distinguishable on division to the 16-cell morula. Dissociation of morulae in calcium-free medium yields large, polar, antigen-positive cells and small apolar cells with reduced levels of detectable antigen. A third, minor population of small, antigen-negative cells is also found in vivo. Large and small blastomeres differ in their ability to relocate within the embryo when aggregated with intact 16-cell-stage embryos. The small blastomeres of the 16-cell morula contribute significantly to the inner cell mass while the large antigen-positive cells are found only in the trophectoderm.