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Contributions of blastocyst micromanipulation to the study of mammalian development.

Contributions of blastocyst micromanipulation to the study of mammalian development.

Authors :
Gardner RL
Source :
BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology [Bioessays] 1998 Feb; Vol. 20 (2), pp. 168-80.
Publication Year :
1998

Abstract

This is a personal account of why the author chose to focus on devising techniques for micromanipulating the blastocyst stage conceptus as a way of investigating early development in mammals. Its aim is to provide insight into what such technical innovations entailed and how they have contributed to present understanding of both embryology and the analysis of gene function in mammals. The ability to dissect and reconstitute mouse blastocysts, and to inject cells or tissue into them, enabled genes to be harnessed as markers for elucidating the lineage of cells and interactions between tissues from the stage when differentiation is first evident. Most importantly, it made it possible to apply clonal analysis to the study of cell fate in mammals. The scope of blastocyst micromanipulation was further enhanced when embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells and, particularly, embryonic stem (ES) cells were found to be able to participate in normal development and contribute to the germ line following injection into the blastocyst.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
0265-9247
Volume :
20
Issue :
2
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
9631662
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1521-1878(199802)20:2<168::AID-BIES9>3.0.CO;2-P