Embryogenesis refers to the development and formation of embryos, which is a tedious process. Embryogenesis covers the first eight weeks after fertilization. Fertilization occurs when a sperm fuses with an egg cell, and then the sperm and egg unite to form a single-cell zygote. Incredibly, within eight weeks we have gradually transformed from a single cell to a massive organism. It is worth noting that the excretory, circulatory as well as nervous systems begin to develop during this process.
Embryonic development is divided into multiple stages, including fertilization, cleavage and blastocyst formation, gastrulation, neural tube formation, placenta formation, and finally embryo formation before entering the next developmental stage.
Fig.1 Mouse and human embryonic development from the zygote to early post-implantation stages.1
Embryogenesis is a vital process in the development of new life. The development of key structures cannot be completed without embryogenesis. In this process, mitosis of the fertilized egg facilitates the growth of the embryo. In addition, cell differentiation contributes to the generation of different tissues and organs. Any abnormality in embryogenesis may lead to pregnancy defects and miscarriage. Therefore, gaining a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of embryogenesis is a crucial task.
It has been reported that the cellular mechanisms during embryogenesis are similar to those occurring in cancer. Embryogenesis may also be closely linked to multiple pathways.
As a highly conserved pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway plays a key role in regulating cell migration, cell polarity, and neural pattern formation during embryonic development. In addition, Wnt is also involved in organ formation, tooth development, and central nervous system development during embryogenesis.
The Notch signaling pathway is a crucial tool for transmitting information and genetic instructions in animal development. In multicellular animals, Notch signaling plays an integral role in embryonic formation, growth, and development. Furthermore, Notch signaling contributes to the differentiation of embryonic cells into various cell types.
As a coreceptor for transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) ligand, Cripto plays critical functions during embryogenesis.
As a pivotal member of the Oct family, Oct4 is involved in the regulation of stem cell differentiation and pluripotency. Interestingly, Oct4 expression is maintained in the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts. Furthermore, Oct4 has been reported to be differentially expressed during embryogenesis.
Lectins are powerful tools for characterizing cell surface glycosylation patterns by recognizing a wide variety of sugar structures. Lectins allow the identification of cell types based on the presentation of carbohydrates on the cell surface. In addition, lectins are attractive markers for determining stages of mouse embryogenesis.
More than forty embryogenesis-related proteins and antibodies are available at Amerigo Scientific. Please our technical team for products suitable for your project.
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