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1.
For the last 20 years, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has been mostly performed on cleavage stage embryos after the
biopsy of 1–2 cells and PCR and FISH have been used for the diagnosis. The main indications have been single gene disorders
and inherited chromosome abnormalities. Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for aneuploidy is a technique that has used
PGD technology to examine chromosomes in embryos from couples undergoing IVF with the aim of helping select the chromosomally
‘best’ embryo for transfer. It has been applied to patients of advanced maternal age, repeated implantation failure, repeated
miscarriages and severe male factor infertility. Recent randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that PGS performed
on cleavage stage embryos for a variety of indications does not improve delivery rates. At the cleavage stage, the cells biopsied
from the embryo are often not representative of the rest of the embryo due to chromosomal mosaicism. There has therefore been
a move towards blastocyst and polar body biopsy, depending on the indication and regulations in specific countries (in some
countries, biopsy of embryos is not allowed). Blastocyst biopsy has an added advantage as vitrification of blastocysts, even
post biopsy, has been shown to be a very successful method of cryopreserving embryos. However, mosaicism is also observed
in blastocysts. There have been dramatic changes in the method of diagnosing small numbers of cells for PGD. Both array-comparative
genomic hybridisation and single nucleotide polymorphism arrays have been introduced clinically for PGD and PGS. For PGD,
the use of SNP arrays brings with it ethical concerns as a large amount of genetic information will be available from each
embryo. For PGS, RCTs need to be conducted using both array-CGH and SNP arrays to determine if either will result in an increase
in delivery rates. 相似文献
2.
Eggs of Xenopus laevis were exposed to ultraviolet (uv) radiation (2537 Å) on the vegetal hemisphere soon after fertilization at doses sufficient to impair greatly the subsequent development of dorsal structures. It was found that temporary orientation of irradiated eggs 90° off the natural vertical axis rescues these eggs, allowing them to develop into normal embryos. Complete rescue results when oblique orientation is initiated well before first cleavage, and eggs remain in this position until the 16-cell stage. Significant rescue is seen, however, in eggs which remain off axis for shorter periods of time or when eggs are obliquely oriented, even after first cleavage. Furthermore, a period of oblique orientation prior to uv irradiation results in insensitivity of eggs to irradiation. Ultraviolet irradiation is found to randomize the position of the dorsal side with respect to the sperm entrance point, whereas the position of the dorsal side of rescued embryos is strongly specified by the orientation of the egg during the rescue period, and not by the sperm entrance point. Other effects of uv irradiation on early development include decreased pigmentation differences among 4-cell stage blastomeres and delayed gastrulation. It is proposed (1) that oblique orientation promotes in irradiated eggs a set of internal rearrangements mimicking those normally accomplished by the unirradiated egg in a period prior to first cleavage and as part of an early dorsalization process, and (2) that the uv-sensitive targets are part of the morphogenic machinery used by the egg for internal rearrangements in this period and are not elements of a system of transmitted particulate dorsal determinants. 相似文献
3.
The first cell cycles following in vitro fertilization (IVF) of human gametes are prone to chromosome instability. Many, but often not all, blastomeres of an embryo acquire a genetic makeup during cleavage that is not representative of the original zygotic genome. Whole chromosomes are missegregated, but also structural rearrangements of chromosomes do occur in human cleavage stage embryogenesis following IVF. Analysis of pre- and postnatal DNA samples indicates that the in vivo human conceptions also endure instability of chromosome number and structure during cleavage of the fertilized oocyte. This embryonic chromosome instability not necessarily undermines normal human development, but may lead to a spectrum of conditions, including loss of conception, genetic disease and genetic variation development. In this review, the structural instability of chromosomes during human cleavage stage embryogenesis is catalogued, channeled into etiologic models and linked to genomic profiles of healthy and diseased newborns. 相似文献
4.
The early cell cycles of preimplantation embryo development are unique in the scheme of mitotic cell proliferation as cell division is not coupled to cell growth, leading to a halving of blastomere volume with each cleavage event. Among the early mouse embryonic divisions, the fi rst two are particularly different, lasting almost twice as long as subsequent divisions. The third cell cycle is marked by the transition of a four‐cell embryo into an eight‐cell embryo, and represents the fi rst complete cell cycle occurring after activation of the zygotic genome. The G2/M phase of the third cell cycle is highly variable, lasting between 2–5 hours, and heterogeneity between blastomeres within the same embryo may occur as a part of normal development. The embryo in this image is actively undergoing cleavage from the four‐ to the eight‐cell stage, and blastomeres are captured in multiple phases of the cell cycle, as visualized by chromatin structure (DNA, blue) and microtubule staining (α‐tubulin, green). Two blastomeres sit in interphase with decondensed chromatin masses and a mesh‐like microtubule network, while the remaining blastomeres are actively undergoing mitosis. Of the latter, one is in metaphase, one in early anaphase, and the last in late anaphase. All together, the diversity in cell cycle stages reveals the inherit asynchrony existent within individual blastomeres of a cleavage stage embryo. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 80: 1–1, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 相似文献
5.
Noraina Mohd Bakri Siti Fatimah Ibrahim Nurul Atikah Osman Nurhaslina Hasan Farah Hanan Fathihah Jaffar Zulaiha Abdul Rahman Khairul Osman 《Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences》2016,23(1):S50-S55
Apoptosis is a programed cell death that is vital for tissue homeostasis. However, embryo apoptosis had been known to be related to embryo fragmentation which should be avoided in in vitro fertilization (IVF). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of embryo apoptosis with the grade of immature oocytes and cleavage stage of in vitro produced (IVP) cattle embryos. This study consisted of 345 oocytes collected through ovary slicing. Immature oocytes were graded as A, B and C. This grading was based on cumulus cell thickness and compactness. All oocytes then underwent an in vitro maturation (IVM) procedure. An IVF was done 24 h after IVM culture. Prior to staining, stage of cleaved embryos was determined and classified as either 2, 4, 8 or >8-cell embryo stage. Apoptosis status of cleaved IVP embryos was determined by using annexin V-FITC staining technique at 48 and 72 h post insemination (hpi). Apoptosis status for each embryo was classified as either early or late. The result showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) of apoptosis status among grade A, B and C embryos. All grades of oocytes showed embryo apoptosis where 1.5% late apoptosis for grade A, 4.5% and 10.4% of early and late apoptosis for grade B and grade C. Early apoptosis was not seen in grade A embryo. We also noted no significant difference (p > 0.05) of apoptosis status between 2, 4, 8 and >8-cell embryo stage. Early apoptosis was also not seen in >8-cell stage. Even though there were no differences in apoptosis expression between the three classes, the cleavage rate of grade A oocytes was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than grade B and grade C. In conclusion, the apoptosis expression in the embryo can occur regardless of the oocyte quality and the cleavage stage of the embryo produced.Abbreviations: ART, assisted reproductive technologies; BO, Brackett and Oliphant; BSA, bovine serum albumin; CaI, calcium ionophore; CC, cumulus cells; COC, cumulus–oocyte complex; CO2, carbon dioxide; CR1aa, Charles Rosenkran’s 1 amino acid; DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; DO, denuded oocyte; EA, early apoptosis; FBS, fetal bovine serum; FITC, fluorescein isothiocyanate; FSH, follicle stimulating hormone; GSH, glutathione; hpi, hours post insemination; IVC, in vitro culture; IVF, in vitro fertilization; IVM, in vitro maturation; IVP, in vitro produced; LA, late apoptosis; LH, luteinizing hormone; PBS, phosphate buffered saline; PI, propidium iodide; PS, phosphatidylserine; TUNEL, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transfer-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling. 相似文献
6.
There is substantial evidence that genetic alterations are contributing factors to the risk for recurrent miscarriages. This
study was conducted to determine the frequency and contribution of chromosomal abnormalities in miscarriages and in couples
with recurrent miscarriages. We studied a total of 41 miscarriages and their parents with a history of 2–11 recurrent miscarriages.
Chromosomal analysis from chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and fetal tissues were performed according to standard cytogenetic
methods using G-banding technique. Major chromosomal aberrations and polymorphic variants were found in 51 and 4.8%, respectively.
The chromosomal abnormalities were structural (34.4%) and numerical (65.1%) of which 26.1, 21.7, 8.7 and 8.7% were fetal sex
aneuploid, triploid, mosaics and trisomic, respectively. Unbalanced and balanced rearrangements were found in 17.2 and 8.6%
of all abnormalities, respectively. Major chromosomal abnormalities in couples were seen in 4.9%. The chromosomal abnormalities
associated with pregnancy losses and recurrent miscarriages are mostly numerical ones. The incidence of balanced translocations
found here is 4.9% which is near to the mode (about 3–6%) observed in the previous studies. Those frequencies are greater
than in the general population (0.3%). This indicates that balanced translocations, seen in parents, have some importance
in causing miscarriage. The major parental chromosomal aberrations are significantly associated with fetal wastage. Mosaicism
should be taken into account for cytogenetic analyses of pregnancy losses. Thus, cytogenetic analyses should be recommended
in couples with recurrent miscarriages, when clinical data fail to clarify the cause.
The text was submitted by the authors in English. 相似文献
7.
Evolution of development in the sea star genus Patiriella: clade-specific alterations in cleavage 总被引:1,自引:1,他引:0
Examination of early development in five species of the Patiriella sea star species complex indicates that the ancestral-type radial holoblastic cleavage (Type I) is characteristic of P. regularis and P. exigua, whereas cleavage in species from the calcar clade followed multiple alternatives (Types II-IV) from holoblastic to meroblastic. Considering that invariant radial cleavage is thought to play a role in embryonic axis formation in echinoderms, we documented the details of blastomere formation in Patiriella sp. and followed development of the embryos. In Type II cleavage, the first and second cleavage planes appeared simultaneously at one pole of the embryo, dividing it directly into four equally sized blastomeres. In Type III cleavage, the first and second cleavage planes appeared simultaneously, followed promptly by the third cleavage plane, dividing the embryo directly into eight equally sized blastomeres. In Type IV cleavage, numerous furrows appeared simultaneously at one end of the embryo, dividing it into 32-40 equally sized blastomeres. Confocal sections revealed that embryos with cleavage Types II-IV were initially syncytial. The timing of karyokinesis in embryos with Types II and III cleavage was similar to that seen in clutch mates with Type I cleavage. Karyokinesis in embryos with Type IV cleavage, however, differed in timing compared with Type I clutch mates. Alteration in cleavage was not associated with polarized distribution of maternally provided nutrients. For each cleavage type, development was normal to the competent larval stage. Although variable blastomere configuration in the calcar clade may be linked to possession of a lecithotrophic development, other Patiriella species with this mode of development have typical cleavage. The presence of variable cleavage in all calcar clade species indicates that phylogenetic history has played a role in the distribution of this embryonic trait in Patiriella. The plasticity in early cleavage in these sea stars indicates that this aspect of early development is not constrained against change and that there are many ways to achieve multicellularity. 相似文献
8.
9.
Widespread RNA segregation in a spiralian embryo 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Asymmetric cell divisions are a crucial mode of cell fate specification in multicellular organisms, but their relative contribution to early embryonic patterning varies among taxa. In the embryo of the mollusc Ilyanassa, most of the early cell divisions are overtly asymmetric. During Ilyanassa early cleavage, mRNAs for several conserved developmental patterning genes localize to interphase centrosomes, and then during division they move to a portion of the cortex that will be inherited by one daughter cell. Here we report an unbiased survey of RNA localization in the Ilyanassa embryo, and examine the overall patterns of centrosomal localization during early development. We find that 3-4% of RNAs are specifically localized to centrosomes during early development, and the remainder are either ubiquitously distributed throughout the cytoplasm or weakly enriched on centrosomes compared with levels in the cytoplasm. We observe centrosomal localization of RNAs in all cells from zygote through the fifth cleavage cycle, and asymmetric RNA segregation in all divisions after the four-cell stage. Remarkably, each specifically localized message is found on centrosomes in a unique subset of cells during early cleavages, and most are found in unique sets of cells at the 24-cell stage. Several specifically localized RNAs are homologous to developmental regulatory proteins in other embryos. These results demonstrate that the mechanisms of localization and segregation are extraordinarily intricate in this system, and suggest that these events are involved in cell fate specification across all lineages in the early Ilyanassa embryo. We propose that greater reliance on segregation of determinants in early cleavage increases constraint on cleavage patterns in molluscs and other spiralian groups. 相似文献
10.
We have followed the fate of two components of extrachromosomal nucleoli, amplified ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and 7.5 kb precursor rRNA, during early embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis. Other workers have shown that the amount of amplified rDNA accumulated during oogenesis remains unchanged through the 16-cell stage of embryogenesis. Here we show that as embryonic cleavage continues, the amount of amplified rDNA decreases until it is no longer detectable in the early gastrula embryo. In contrast, the amount of 7.5 kb precursor rRNA in eggs, early cleavage stage embryos, or blastula stage embryos is the same as in oocyte nuclei. Since no rRNA synthesis occurs during these early stages, we conclude that the precursor rRNA sequences synthesized in the oocyte are neither processed nor degraded during early development. The amplified rDNA is not replicated in the early embryo even though the chromosomal DNA of the embryo replicates every 30 min during the first 7.5 hr of embryogenesis. When amplified rDNA is purified and then injected into cleaving embryos, however, we find that it is replicated. This finding suggests that some factor(s) prevents the endogenous amplified rDNA from responding to the cellular replication signals. We show that methylation of cytosine in the rDNA is not related to the DNA's capacity for replication in this system since amplified (unmethylated) and chromosomal (methylated) rDNA are both replicated when injected into embryos. The methylation pattern of these rDNAs appears to be maintained after replication in the embryo. 相似文献
11.
The barrier defences and acellular innate immune proteins play critical roles during the early‐stage fish embryos prior to the development of functional organ systems. The innate immune proteins in the yolk of embryos are of maternal origin. Maternal stress affects the maternal‐to‐embryo transfer of these proteins and, therefore, environmental stressors may change the course of embryo development, including embryonic immunocompetency, via their deleterious effect on maternal physiology. This review focuses on the associations that exist between maternal stress, maternal endocrine disturbance and the responses of the acellular innate immune proteins of early‐stage fish embryos. Early‐stage teleostean embryos are dependent upon the adult female for the formation of the zona pellucida as an essential barrier defence, for their supply of nutrients, and for the innate immunity proteins and antibodies that are transferred from the maternal circulation to the oocytes; maternally derived hormones are also transferred, some of which (such as cortisol) are known to exert a suppressive action on some aspects of the immune defences. This review summarizes what is known about the effects of oocyte cortisol content on the immune system components in early embryos. The review also examines recent evidence that embryonic cells during early cleavage have the capacity to respond to increased maternal cortisol transfer; this emphasizes the importance of maternal and early immune competence on the later life of fishes, both in the wild and in intensive culture. 相似文献
12.
Xing Duan Hao-Lin Zhang Lan-Lan Wu Meng-Yao Liu Meng-Hao Pan 《Cell cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)》2018,17(11):1381-1389
LIMKs (LIMK1 and LIMK2) are serine/threonine protein kinases that involve in various cellular activities such as cell migration, morphogenesis and cytokinesis. However, its roles during mammalian early embryo development are still unclear. In the present study, we disrupted LIMK1/2 activity to explore the functions of LIMK1/2 during mouse early embryo development. We found that p-LIMK1/2 mainly located at the cortex of each blastomeres from 2-cell to 8-cell stage, and p-LIMK1/2 also expressed at morula and blastocyst stage in mouse embryos. Inhibition of LIMK1/2 activity by LIMKi 3 (BMS-5) at the zygote stage caused the failure of embryo early cleavage, and the disruption of LIMK1/2 activity at 8-cell stage caused the defects of embryo compaction and blastocyst formation. Fluorescence staining and intensity analysis results demonstrated that the inhibition of LIMK1/2 activity caused aberrant cortex actin expression and the decrease of phosphorylated cofilin in mouse embryos. Taken together, we identified LIMK1/2 as an important regulator for cofilin phosphorylation and actin assembly during mouse early embryo development. 相似文献
13.
Analysis of cell lineage in two- and four-cell mouse embryos 总被引:6,自引:0,他引:6
Fujimori T Kurotaki Y Miyazaki J Nabeshima Y 《Development (Cambridge, England)》2003,130(21):5113-5122
Compared with other animals, the embryos of mammals are considered to have a highly regulative mode of development. However, recent studies have provided a strong correlation between the first cleavage plane and the future axis of the blastocyst, but it is still unclear how the early axes of the preimplantation embryo reflect the future body axes that emerge after implantation. We have carried out lineage tracing during mouse embryogenesis using the Cre-loxP system, which allowed us to analyze cell fates over a long period of development. We used a transgenic mouse strain, CAG-CAT-Z as a reporter line. The descendants of the manipulated blastomere heritably express beta-galactosidase. We examined the distribution of descendants of a single blastomere in the 8.5-day embryo after labeling at the two-cell and four-cell stages. The derivatives of one blastomere in the two-cell embryo randomly mix with cells originating from the second blastomere in all cell layers examined. Thus we find cells from different blastomeres intermingled and localized randomly along the body axis. The results of labeling experiments performed in the four-cell stage embryo fall into three categories. In the first, the labeled cells were intermingled with non-labeled cells in a manner similar to that seen after labeling at the two-cell stage. In the second, labeled cells were distributed only in the extra-embryonic ectoderm layers. Finally in the third category, labeled cells were seen only in the embryo proper and the extra-embryonic mesoderm. Manipulated embryos analyzed at the blastocyst stage showed localized distribution of the descendants of a single blastomere. These results suggest that incoherent clonal growth and drastic cell mixing occurs in the early mouse embryo after the blastocyst stage. The first cell specification event, i.e., partitioning cell fate between the inner cell mass and trophectoderm, can occur between the two-cell and four-cell stage, yet the cell fate is not determined. 相似文献
14.
Cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer is critically dependent upon early events that occur immediately after nuclear transfer, and possibly additional events that occur in the cleaving embryo. Embryo culture conditions have not been optimized for cloned embryos, and the effects of culture conditions on these early events and the successful initiation of clonal development have not been examined. To evaluate the possible effect of culture conditions on early cloned embryo development, we have compared a number of different culture media, either singly or in sequential combinations, for their ability to support preimplantation development of clones produced using cumulus cell nuclei. We find that glucose is beneficial during the 1-cell stage when CZB medium is employed. We also find that potassium simplex optimized medium (KSOM), which is optimized to support efficient early cleavage divisions in mouse embryos, does not support development during the 1-cell or 2-cell stages in the cloned embryos as well as other media. Glucose-supplemented CZB medium (CZB-G) supports initial development to the 2-cell stage very well, but does not support later cleavage stages as well as Whittten medium or KSOM. Culturing cloned embryos either entirely in Whitten medium or initially in Whittens medium and then changing to KSOM at the late 4-cell/early 8-cell stage produces consistent production of blastocysts at a greater frequency than using CZB-G medium alone. The combination of Whitten medium followed by KSOM resulted in an increased number of cells per blastocyst. Because normal embryos do not require glucose during the early cleavage stages and develop efficiently in all of the media employed, these results reveal unusual culture medium requirements that are indicative of altered physiology and metabolism in the cloned embryos. The relevance of this to understanding the kinetics and mechanisms of nuclear reprogramming and to the eventual improvement of the overall success in cloning is discussed. 相似文献
15.
Use of embryo transfer and IVF to bypass effects of heat stress 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Rutledge JJ 《Theriogenology》2001,55(1):105-111
Although heat stress has multiple effects to lower pregnancy rate in lactating dairy cows, a major pathway is in its effects on the early cleavage stage embryo. Conceptually, and in practice, higher pregnancy rates can be obtained with transfer of late cleavage stage embryos. The literature is reviewed, and conclusion is made that application of these technologies may be in part, a solution to this long-standing problem. 相似文献
16.
Unfertilized eggs and early embryos up to the 2-day (16-cell) cleavage stage of development in the rabbit contain predominantly the most cathodal lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme made up of A-type subunits. Following early cleavage there is a progressing increase in total LDH activity in the embryo as development proceeds through 4- and 6-day blastocyst stages. This is accompanied by an increase in the amount of B-type subunits and a concomitant shift in the lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme electrophoretic pattern toward the anodal isoenzyme types. 相似文献
17.
Xing Duan Kun-Lin Chen Yu Zhang Xiang-Shun Cui Nam-Hyung Kim Shao-Chen Sun 《Histochemistry and cell biology》2014,142(2):227-233
ROCK is a Rho-GTPase effector that is important for actin assembly and is involved in various cellular functions, including cell contraction, migration, motility, and tumor cell invasion. In this study, we investigated ROCK expression and function during early mouse embryo development. Inhibiting ROCK by Y-27632 treatment at the zygote stage resulted in first cleavage failure, and most embryos failed to develop to the 8-cell stage. When adding Y-27632 at the 8-cell stage, embryos failed to undergo compaction and could not develop into blastocysts. In addition, fluorescence staining intensity analysis indicated that actin expression at blastomere membranes was significantly reduced. After ROCK inhibition, two or more nuclei were observed in a cell, which indicated possible cytokinesis failure. Moreover, after ROCK inhibition with Y-27632, the phosphorylation levels of LIMK1/2, a downstream molecule of ROCK, were decreased at blastomere membranes. Thus, our results showed conserved roles for ROCK in this mammalian embryo model and indicated that a ROCK-LIMK1/2-actin pathway might regulate cleavage and blastocyst formation during early mouse embryo development. 相似文献
18.
Liu Z Hai T Dai X Zhao X Wang Y Brochard V Zhou S Wan H Zhang H Wang L Zhou Q Beaujean N 《Developmental biology》2012,368(2):304-311
Several research groups have suggested that the embryonic-abembryonic (Em-Ab) axis in the mouse can be predicted by the first cleavage plane of the early embryo. Currently, it is not known whether this early patterning occurs in cloned embryos produced by nuclear transfer and whether it affects development to term. In this work, the relationship between the first cleavage plane and the Em-Ab axis was determined by the labeling of one blastomere in cloned mouse embryos at the 2-cell stage, followed by ex-vivo tracking until the blastocyst stage. The results demonstrate that approximately half of the cloned blastocysts had an Em-Ab axis perpendicular to the initial cleavage plane of the 2-cell stage. These embryos were classified as "orthogonal" and the remainder as "deviant". Additionally, we report here that cloned embryos were significantly more often orthogonal than their naturally fertilized counterparts and overexpressed Sox2. Orthogonal cloned embryos demonstrated a higher rate of post-implantation embryonic development than deviant embryos, but cloned pups did not all survive. These results reveal that the angular relationship between the Em-Ab axis and the first cleavage plane can influence later development and they support the hypothesis that proper early patterning of mammalian embryos is required after nuclear transfer. 相似文献
19.
The cleavage stage embryo (days 1-3) stands out due to the high level of chromosomal anomalies, especially mosaicism that arises prior to global embryonic genome activation. Molecular cytogenetic studies show that an average of 60% of in vitro derived embryos have at least one aneuploid cell by the time they are 3 days old. However, comprehensive studies of the chromosome content of individual cells have revealed that 25% of these embryos have no aneuploid cells, a fact that sits well with the knowledge that at most 1 in 5 have the capacity to implant. The evidence is that extensive mosaicism, affecting several chromosomes, interferes with development to a greater extent than does uniform aneuploidy. Follow-up studies on embryos after pre-implantation genetic aneuploidy screening indicate that the frequency of meiotic errors varies according to the referral reason, with the highest frequency being recorded for the recurrent miscarriage category and the lowest in the repeated implantation failure group where younger women have a good response to ovarian stimulation. The exceptionally high incidence of pre- and post-zygotic chromosomal anomalies seen in early human embryos is thus the product of several mechanisms. Firstly, the error-prone cell cycle during the embryonic cleavage stage and secondly, parental susceptibility to meiotic and mitotic chromosomal instability together with their general genetic background. 相似文献
20.
R. L. Brinster 《Biochemical genetics》1970,4(6):669-676
Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity was measured in individual preimplantation rabbit and mouse embryos. Substrate turnover by the enzyme is at least 30 times greater than glucose oxidation by the pentose shunt in the early rabbit embryo. There was no evidence during the preimplantation period of the embryos in either species of a bimodal distribution of G6PD activities among the embryos. Since cytological studies have not shown that inactivation of the X chromosome occurs during the early cleavage period and G6PD activity is sex-linked and gene-dose dependent in most higher animals, the evidence from the enzyme studies suggests that there is little or no synthesis of G6PD during the early preimplantation period. It is suggested that the enzyme is synthesized during oocyte development and the high levels of the enzyme found during the preimplantation period reflect the requirement of an earlier stage in oocyte development rather than the requirements of cleavage.Financial support for this work was obtained from National Institutes of Health Grants HD 03071 and HD 02315. 相似文献