Mechanics of mouse blastocyst hatching revealed by a hydrogel-based microdeformation assay.

ABSTRACT: Mammalian embryos are surrounded by an acellular shell, the zona pellucida. Hatching out of the zona is crucial for implantation and continued development of the embryo. Clinically, problems in hatching can contribute to failure in assisted reproductive intervention. Although hatching is fundamentally a mechanical process, due to limitations in methodology most studies focus on its biochemical properties. To understand the role of mechanical forces in hatching, we developed a hydrogel deformation-based method and analytical approach for measuring pressure in cyst-like tissues. Using this approach, we found that, in cultured blastocysts, pressure increased linearly, with intermittent falls. Inhibition of Na/K-ATPase led to a dosage-dependent reduction in blastocyst cavity pressure, consiste

SUBMITTER: Leonavicius K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6187134 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature