CHAPTER 6 EMBRYO CLEAVAGE AND BLASTULATION

Upon fertilization, meiosis is completed and cell cyclicity returns to the mitotic pattern

The initial phase of development is driven by information stored in the oocyte and passed on to the
zygote and the early embryo.

- Cleavages and Genome Activation -

In zygote, an S-phase is completed during the first post-fertilization cell cycle. Thus when the zygote
cleaves to 2-cell embryo at the first mitosis each of the two cells referred to as BLASTOMERES.

Cellular Growth: the cells become smaller and smaller as the original cytoplasm of the zygote is divided
into smaller and smaller portions.

These Cell Divisions are referred to as CLEAVAGES.

The stages of development officially starts when the embryo enters the uterus.

Minor and major activation of the embryonic genome.

After a few cell divisions the embryo takes the shape of a small ball of cells referred to as a MORULA
after the Latin name of mulberry.

- Compaction -

Individual cells of the morula all look identical to start with, their spherical shapes giving the morula it's
typical mulberry-like appearany.

Later however the other cells differentiate into an epithelium, attach firmly to each other and give the
embryo a smoother surface. This process is referred to as COMPACTION

The outer cells constitute the TROPHECTODERM or TROPHOBLAST.

the term trophectoderm will be used before placentation and the term trophoblast when these cells
become engaged in placental formation.

- Blastulation -

Compaction of the morula is a prerequisite for subsequent blastulation - the formation of a central fluid-
filled cavity the BLASTOCYST CAVITY within the embryo.
BLASTULATION transforms the embryo into a blastocyst usually within the uterine lumen during the first
week of development. It is mainly brought by the trophechtoderm.

The inner blastomeres become positioned at one pole of the embryo forming the INNER CELL MASS
(ICM). The ICM will form the embryo proper; cells of the trophectoderm will give rise to the embroyonic
part of the placenta.

POLAR TROPHECTODERM - portion of trophectoderm covering the ICM

MURAL TROPHECTODERM - covers the rest

With osmotic pressure inside the blastocyst cavity rising the blastocyst gradually expands. Eventually the
expansion of the blastocyst leads to rupture of the covering zona pellucida which allows the blastocyst
to escape through the opening. In some species this process is called HATCHING.

The ICM differentiate into two cell populations;

Those facing the blastocyst cavity become flattened and delaminate forming an inner cell sheet referred
to as the HYPOBLAST

The remaining cells from the multilayered EPIBLAST

It forms a complete inner lining beneath not only the epiblast but also the trophectoderm. a cavity
reffered to as the primitive yolk sac

NANOG - is essential for the cells forming the epiblast in mice

GATA-6 - is a key regulator of hypoblast formation.

The epiblast will later form the embryo proper whereas the hypoblast will form the inner epithelium of
the yolk sac.

In domestic species the polar trophetoderm covering the epiblast known as Rauber's Layer gradually
disintegrate and exposed the epiblast to the uterine environment.

After the loss of Rauber's Layer the epiblast is clearly the discern as lucent structure, circular at but
becoming oval. Together with it's underlying hypoblast this structure is known as the EMBRYONIC DISC.

- Blastocyst Elongation -

During the formation of the embryonic disc the blastocyst is still expanding.

The trophectoderm with it's underlying hypoblast becomes reshaped and the embryo besomes OVOID.
The process of elongation continues and the embryo become first Tubular and later Filamentous. The
embryo become thread like and tremendously long.

Elongation us particularly dramatic on days 12-13.

This process involves restructuring of cells cytoskeleton and shape as well.