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Originally published in Science Express on 19 April 2007
Science 4 May 2007:
Vol. 316. no. 5825, pp. 719 - 723
DOI: 10.1126/science.1138591
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Research Articles

Blastocyst Axis Is Specified Independently of Early Cell Lineage But Aligns with the ZP Shape

Yoko Kurotaki,1,2* Kohei Hatta,3{dagger} Kazuki Nakao,4 Yo-ichi Nabeshima,1,2 Toshihiko Fujimori1,2{ddagger}

The mechanisms controlling the establishment of the embryonic-abembryonic (E-Ab) axis of the mammalian blastocyst are controversial. We used in vitro time-lapse imaging and in vivo lineage labeling to provide evidence that the E-Ab axis of the mouse blastocyst is generated independently of early cell lineage. Rather, both the boundary between two-cell blastomeres and the E-Ab axis of the blastocyst align relative to the ellipsoidal shape of the zona pellucida (ZP), an extraembryonic structure. Lack of correlation between cell lineage and the E-Ab axis can be explained by the rotation of the embryo within the ZP.

1 Department of Pathology and Tumor Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
2 Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan.
3 Vertebrate Body Plan Group, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology (CDB), 2-2-3 Minatojima-minami-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.
4 Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering (LARGE), RIKEN CDB, 2-2-3 Minatojimaminami-cho, Chuo-ku Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan.

* Present address: International University of Health and Welfare Graduate School, Kitakanemaru, Otawara, Tochigi 324-8501, Japan.

{dagger} Present address: Laboratory for Biological Information, Graduate School of Life Science, University of Hyogo, 3-2-1 Kouto, Kamigori-cho, Ako-gun, Hyogo 678-1297, Japan.

{ddagger} To whom corrrespondence should be addressed. E-mail: fujimori{at}lmls.med.kyoto-u.ac.jp

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