Live Visualization of ERK Activity in the Mouse Blastocyst Reveals Lineage-Specific Signaling Dynamics.

ABSTRACT: FGF/ERK signaling is crucial for the patterning and proliferation of cell lineages that comprise the mouse blastocyst. However, ERK signaling dynamics have never been directly visualized in live embryos. To address whether differential signaling is associated with particular cell fates and states, we generated a targeted mouse line expressing an ERK-kinase translocation reporter (KTR) that enables live quantification of ERK activity at single-cell resolution. 3D time-lapse imaging of this biosensor in embryos revealed spatially graded ERK activity in the trophectoderm prior to overt polar versus mural differentiation. Within the inner cell mass (ICM), all cells relayed FGF/ERK signals with varying durations and magnitude. Primitive endoderm cells displayed higher overall levels of ERK acti

SUBMITTER: Simon CS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7658048 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature