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/. Embryol. exp. Morph. Vol. 61, pp. 277-287, 1981
Printed in Great Britain © Company of Biologists Limited 1981
277
The mechanism of mouse egg-cylinder
morphogenesis in vitro
By A. J. COPP 1
From the Paediatric Research Unit, The Prince Philip Research Laboratories,
Guy's Hospital Medical School, London
SUMMARY
The number of trophoblast giant cells in outgrowths of mouse blastocysts was determined
before, during and after egg-cylinder formation in vitro. Giant-cell numbers rose initially but
reached a plateau 12 h before the egg cylinder appeared. A secondary increase began 24 h
after egg-cylinder formation. Blastocysts whose mural trophectoderm cells were removed
before or shortly after attachment in vitro formed egg cylinders at the same time as intact
blastocysts but their trophoblast outgrowths contained fewer giant cells at this time. The
results support the idea that egg-cylinder formation in vitro is accompanied by a redirection
of the polar to mural trophectoderm cell movement which characterizes blastocysts before
implantation. The resumption of giant-cell number increase in trophoblast outgrowths after
egg-cylinder formation may correspond to secondary giant-cell formation in vivo. It is
suggested that a time-dependent change in the strength of trophoblast cell adhesion to the substratum occurs after blastocyst attachment in vitro which restricts the further entry of polar
cells into the outgrowth and therefore results in egg-cylinder formation.
INTRODUCTION
The initiation of mouse egg-cylinder formation in vivo occurs soon after
implantation due to the development of a multilayered extraembryonic ectodermal tissue from the previously single layer of polar trophectoderm (Snell &
Stevens, 1966; Gardner & Johnson, 1975; Gardner & Papaioannou, 1975;
Copp, 1979). Consequently, the early egg cylinder consists of two regions: one
trophoblastic and the other ectodermal, derived from the inner cell mass (ICM)
of the blastocyst. Both regions are surrounded by a layer of primitive endoderm
cells. It has been suggested that egg-cylinder morphogenesis depends upon (a) an
interaction between ICM (or its derivative the embryonic ectoderm) and overlying polar trophectoderm in the blastocyst, so that a high rate of polar cell
division is promoted, (b) resulting movement of cells out of the polar region and
(c) mechanical constraints on the direction in which this movement can occur
(Gardner & Papaioannou, 1975; Copp, 1978, 1979). Before implantation,
polar cells move into the mural region but after the blastocyst has become
attached by its mural trophectoderm to the endometrium cell movement appears
1
Author's address: Paediatric Research Unit, The Prince Philip Research Laboratories,
Guy's Hospital Medical School, London SE1, U.K.
278
A. J. COPP
to be redirected: trophectoderm cells accumulate over the ICM and contribute
to the extra-embryonic ectoderm (Copp, 1979). It therefore seems likely that
blastocyst attachment during implantation prevents any further influx of polar
cells into the mural region and so is responsible for the initiation of egg-cylinder
formation.
When mouse blastocysts outgrow in vitro, a trophoblastic giant-cell monolayer is formed on which the ICM can be seen as a compact lump (Gwatkin,
1966). After 3 or 4 days of culture in serum-containing medium the ICM becomes supported above the level of the giant cells by a newly developed 'proximal embryonic' region (Hsu, Baskar, Stevens & Rash, 1974; Pienkowski,
Solter & Koprowski, 1974; Wiley & Pedersen, 1977). This event may correspond to egg-cylinder formation in vivo, in which case the 'proximal' and
'distal' regions would represent extraembryonic and embryonic ectodermal
components respectively. Continued culture of such outgrowths can lead to
the development of apparently normal late egg cylinders in which the neural
tube, somites, heart rudiment, amnion, allantois and yolk sac are all formed
(Hsu, 1978). Consequently, it seems likely that normal egg-cylinder formation
may occur in vitro. It must be concluded, therefore, that either (a) egg-cylinder
morphogenesis can occur in the absence of mechanical constraints, (b) the processes of egg-cylinder formation in vivo and in vitro are not related mechanistically or (c) mechanical constraints are present, in the absence of a uterine environment, perhaps due to an interaction between the trophoblastic monolayer and
its substratum. If the latter idea is correct, it may be predicted that egg-cylinder
formation, following attachment of blastocysts in vitro, will be associated with a
restriction in the degree of trophoblast giant-cell outgrowth so that dividing
polar cells are forced to accumulate beneath the ICM and form the proximal
region of the egg cylinder. This prediction has been tested by studying the
kinetics of cell number increase in trophoblast giant-cell outgrowths before,
during and after egg-cylinder formation. The results indicate that, as predicted,
there is a cessation of cell movement into the trophoblast outgrowth shortly
before egg-cylinder formation. The redirection of trophoblast cell movement
observed could be a time-related event or alternatively may require the presence
of a critical number of cells in the outgrowth. In order to distinguish between
these possibilities, the time of egg-cylinder formation has been noted in embryos
whose trophoblastic cell number had been altered, experimentally.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Embryos and manipulation
Blastocysts were flushed from the uteri of pregnant random-bred CFLP
female mice (Anglia Laboratory Animals Ltd) between 3 days 12 h and 3 days
15 h after the estimated time of ovulation (see Copp, 1978). Embryos were
recovered and manipulated in PB1 medium (Whittingham & Wales, 1969) plus
Mouse egg-cylinder morphogenesis in vitro
279
10 % heat-inactivated fetal calf serum (FCS). The mural region was separated
from the ICM plus its covering polar trophectoderm by cutting blastocysts
parallel to the surface of the ICM using a pair of glass needles controlled by a
Leitz micromanipulator assembly (Gardner, 1978). Both ICM/polar and
trophectoderm vesicle (TV) fragments were cultured separately. The zonae of
all embryos were removed, before culture, either by microsurgery or by treatment with acidic Tyrode's solution, pH 2-5 (Nicolson, Yanagimachi &
Yanagimachi, 1975). Trophoblastic giant cells were removed from blastocyst
outgrowths (operated outgrowths) under a Wild dissecting microscope by use of
glass microneedles. This procedure normally caused the explants to detach from
the plastic substratum, but reattachment usually occurred within about 6 h. In
order to confirm the visual classification of outgrowths as containing either
ICMs or egg cylinders (see Analysis section), some egg-cylinder-like structures
developing in vitro were removed from their giant-cell monolayers usiug glass
needles, fixed in formol-acetic-alcohol and were prepared for histological
analysis.
Culture
All embryos were cultured in alpha-modification of Eagle's medium (Flow
Laboratories, U.K.) supplemented with 30 fiu adenosine, guanosine, cytidine
and uridine, 10 JLLM thymidine and 10 % FCS. Blastocysts were grown in 50 mm
plastic tissue-culture dishes (Sterilin), each containing 5 ml culture medium,
under an atmosphere of 5 % CO 2 in air. Up to ten embryos were cultured in
each dish and the culture medium was not changed during the experimental
period which ranged from 6 to 8 days. Embryos which attached near to the edge
of the dish, or near to each other, were discarded. The day of initiation of culture
was designated day 1.
Analysis
Blastocyst outgrowths were examined by inverted phase-contrast microscopy,
every 12 h, for the presence or absence of an egg cylinder and, in addition, the
area of outgrowth and number of giant-cell nuclei were scored. The positions of
explants were marked so that individual outgrowths could be recognized
throughout the period of culture. An egg cylinder was considered to be present
when the ICM was clearly supported above the level of the giant cells by a
distinct 'proximal' region. The presence of a 'proximal' region was confirmed
histologically for some blastocyst outgrowths. The time of first appearance of
an egg cylinder was designated time = 0, although individual outgrowths varied
with respect to the day of culture on which an egg cylinder could first be recognized. Subsequently, egg cylinders were classified as 'organized' if the 'distal',
and later the 'proximal', regions cavitated and became rounded and smooth
(Fig. 1A) while egg cylinders in which the 'distal' region lost its rounded
280
A. J. COPP
50 um
P
:w
Mouse egg-cylinder morphogenesis in vitro
281
regular shape were classified as 'disorganized' (Fig. IB). The area of each
blastocyst outgrowth was calculated from the formula:
area = nr2
where r was half the mean of the diameters, measured by an eyepiece graticule,
along the x and y axes, assuming the outgrowth to be circular. Preliminary
experiments in which giant-cell numbers obtained from counts of nuclei by
phase-contrast microscopy were compared with those obtained from the same
outgrowths after fixation and staining indicated that results based on the two
methods do not differ significantly (7 = 1-56, d.f. = 20, P > 0-10). Consequently, nuclear counts were performed by phase-contrast microscopy at 12 h
intervals on each individual explant. Giant-cell nuclei were recognized as being
rounded, pale regions of attached cells in which one or more distinct, dense
nucleoli were present. The number of nuclei in each outgrowth was counted
three times in succession, and the mean of the two nearest scores was used.
Both areas of outgrowth and giant-cell numbers varied between individual
embryos. Since information concerning time-dependent changes in the relative
size of these parameters was required, it was necessary to reduce the interembryonic variation by normalizing outgrowth areas and giant-cell numbers.
This was done, for any particular outgrowth, by dividing each area or cell
number measurement by the value obtained for the same outgrowth at time = 0.
RESULTS
Kinetics of blastocyst outgrowth
Outgrowth areas and trophoblast giant-cell numbers were recorded every 12 h
for cultures of intact blastocysts ('organized' and 'disorganized') and of
trophectoderm vesicles (TV). Fig. 2A shows the relationship between mean
normalised outgrowth area and the time of egg-cylinder formation. Outgrowth
areas increase in an approximately exponential fashion as culture proceeds both
in explants of intact blastocysts and TVs (see McLaren & Hensleigh, 1975).
The relationship between mean normalized outgrowth giant-cell number and
the time of egg-cylinder formation is shown in Fig. 2 B. The results demonstrate
Fig. 1. Sections of egg cylinders developed in vitro from intact blastocyst outgrowths
on day 6 of culture (haemalum and eosin). A. 'Organized' egg cylinder consisting of
proximal (p) and distal (d) regions surrounding a central cavity which resembles
the proamniotic cavity of the day-7 in vivo egg cylinder. Additional resemblances to
in vivo egg cylinders include the apparently pseudostratified epithelium of the distal
region, showing mitoses at the free surface, and the transition from columnar to
squamous cell shape in the visceral endoderm (v). B. 'Disorganized' egg cylinder in
which a solid lump of cells (/) appears to have overgrown the epithelium of the
distal region. The point of attachment of the egg cylinder to the substratum is at the
top of the figure in each case.
282
A. J. COPP
50 -
-1-5 - 1 0 -0-5
0 +0-5 + 1 0 +1-5 + 2 0 +2-5
Time (days)
-1-5 - 1 0 - 0 - 5
0
+0-5 + 1 0 +1-5 +2 0 +2-5
Time (days)
Fig. 2. Graphs to show relationship of (A) mean normalized outgrowth area and
(B) mean normalized giant-cell number to the time of initiation of egg-cylinder
formation in vitro (time = 0). Continuous line represents intact blastocyst outgrowths
which gave rise to 'organized' egg cylinders (n = 15), dashed line represents 'disorganized' egg cylinders (n = 11) and dotted line indicates outgrowths derived from
trophectoderm vesicles (n = 7). Standard errors are shown on the graphs.
that, although giant-cell numbers increase during blastocyst attachment, there
is a cessation of this increase just before the egg cylinder appears. Giant-cell
numbers remain constant for the next 36 h, after which they rise once again. A
similar pattern of giant-cell number increase is seen in both 'organized' and
'disorganized' blastocyst outgrowths. The resumption of giant-cell number
increase which occurs 24 h after egg-cylinder formation could be due to cell
division within the monolayer, although giant cells are not believed to undergo
cytokinesis (see Ansell, 1975), or may reflect the movement of cells from the egg
cylinder into the monolayer. Alternatively, the cell number increase might have
been an apparent one if binucleation of trophoblast giant cells is a common
phenomenon. A test of this latter possibility is provided by the outgrowth of
TVs in this experiment (Fig. 2B). There is no secondary increase in mean
normalized nuclear number in TV outgrowths, indicating that binucleation
alone is not a sufficient explanation for the secondary increase in giant-cell
numbers within blastocyst outgrowths. The most likely explanation, therefore,
appears to be one based upon cell movement. Support for this idea comes from
the observation that, during the period when increase in giant-cell number has
resumed (t = 1-5 onwards), numbers of 'small' giant cells become visible
within the monolayer near the points of insertion of the 'proximal' egg-cylinder
Mouse egg-cylinder morphogenesis
in vitro
283
region. These cells may have recently originated from the trophoblastic part of
the egg cylinder.
Figure 2 shows that there is no cessation of outgrowth area increase coincident
with the cessation in giant-cell number increase at the time of egg-cylinder
formation. This suggests that increases in outgrowth area result primarily from
growth of the constituent giant cells which are undergoing increase in DNA
content (Barlow & Sherman, 1972; Copp, 1980#) and that the addition of new
trophoblastic cells to the monolayer is not required for increase in outgrowth
area. Support for this conclusion comes from the finding that TV outgrowth
areas increase in a similar manner despite their fixed giant-cell numbers.
Relationship between trophoblast cell number and time of egg-cylinder formation
Figure 3 illustrates the experimental design. The time of egg-cylinder formation, and number of cells in the trophoblast monolayer at that time, were
determined for intact blastocysts, ICM/polar fragments and operated outgrowths (see Materials and Methods). Of 15 ICM/polar fragments which
attached, eight formed egg cylinders plus associated giant-cell outgrowths,
while seven gave rise only to giant cells, although in some cases degenerate
ICMs were observed on the trophoblast monolayers. Table 1 shows that eggcylinder formation was not markedly delayed in ICM/polar fragment outgrowths relative to intact blastocyst controls, whereas the average number of
giant cells in the outgrowth at the time of egg-cylinder formation was significantly lower than for intact blastocysts (t = 4-15, P > 0-001).
Trophoblast giant cells were removed from nine attached blastocysts on day 3
of culture. All nine operated outgrowths subsequently reattached and formed
giant-cell monolayers, while eight additionally gave rise to egg cylinders. As
with ICM/polar fragments, the initiation of egg-cylinder formation was not
delayed relative to intact blastocyst controls (Table 1). However, average giantcell numbers, at this time, were significantly less than those found in outgrowths
of both intact blastocysts {t = 11-38, P < 0-001) and ICM/polar fragments
(t = 4-63, P < 0-001).
DISCUSSION
It has been suggested that egg-cylinder morphogenesis in vivo depends on a
redirection of polar trophectodermal cell movement due to a restriction on the
ability of cells to enter the mural trophectodermal region after blastocyst
attachment (Copp, 1979). If a similar mechanism underlies egg-cylinder morphogenesis in vitro, it might be expected that the number of giant cells within each
outgrowth would become fixed at the time of egg-cylinder formation. This has
been confirmed by the present experiments (see Fig. 2). When blastocysts attach
in vitro, giant-cell numbers initially rise, presumably as a result of spreading of
mural trophectoderm cells, mural cell division and entry into the outgrowth of
cells which originate in the polar region. However;, 12 h before egg-cylinder
284
A. J. C O P P
Fig. 3. Diagram illustrating the design of an experiment to investigate the possibility
that a critical trophoblast giant-cell number must be present in the blastocyst outgrowth before egg-cylinder formation may occur. (A) Outgrowth of intact blastocyst; (B) Removal of the mural trophectodermal region from blastocysts followed
by outgrowth of the resulting ICM/polar fragments; (C) Outgrowth of intact blastocysts followed by removal of trophoblast giant cells prior to egg-cylinder formation
(operated outgrowths). Representation of embryonic tissues: trophoblast, white;
ICM and embryonic ectoderm, stippled; endoderm, black.
No. of
explants
15
11
15
9
Explant type
Intact blastocysts
'Organized' egg cylinders
' Disorganized' egg cylinders
lCM/polar fragments
Operated outgrowths
15
11
8
8
No. forming
egg cylinders
0
0
0
0
<
a.m.
6
2
0
0
7
4
2
5
2
5
5
2
1
i
0
0
0
0
0
0
p.m.
Day 5
p.m. a.m.
Day 4
p.m. a.m.
Day 3
Time of initiation of egg-cylinder
formation (days of culture)
45-9 ±13-7
51-1 ± 8-2
23-4±l 1-6
3-7+ 3-1
Mean number of giant cells
at egg-cylinder formation
± standard deviation
Table 1. The time of initiation and number of trophoblast giant cells present at egg-cylinder formation in outgrowths
derived from various blastocyst explant types
to
oo
I"
S'
4
^
Co
286
A. J. C O P P
formation occurs, there is a cessation of the increase in giant-cell numbers. This
phase lasts for about 36 h, after which time giant-cell numbers rise again, probably due to the addition of cells originating in the proximal region of the egg
cylinder. It is possible that cells entering the giant-cell monolayer at this time are
equivalent to secondary giant cells which arise in vivo from the ectoplacental
cone (Duval, 1892). The possibility that the number of cells entering the giantcell monolayer at the time of egg-cylinder formation is balanced by cell death
cannot be excluded, but cellular debris was only rarely observed within giantcell monolayers, and outgrowths derived from TVs showed no marked fall in
giant-cell numbers (Fig. 2) contrary to expectation if cell death was occurring.
It is clear from Fig. 2 that increase in area of giant-cell outgrowth in vitro does
not reflect the entry of new trophoblast cells into the giant-cell monolayer. It
seems likely that growth of individual giant cells within the monolayer causes
the continued increase in area of trophoblastic outgrowths.
Whether giant cells are removed at the blastocyst stage (i.e. the mural
trophectoderm) or after blastocyst attachment, the time of initiation of eggcylinder formation is not delayed in the resulting outgrowths. However, there
are fewer giant cells in outgrowths derived from lCM/polar fragments than
from intact blastocysts, and still fewer in operated outgrowths whose giant cells
are removed after attachment. It seems likely, therefore, that the time of eggcylinder formation depends not on the presence of a critical number of giant
cells in the monolayer, but rather on some other factor which acts at a particular
embryonic age and requires only that trophoblastic giant cells are in contact
with a substratum at that time.
It is possible that the in vitro morphogenetic events described in this paper
result from progressive changes in the strength of adhesion of trophoblast cells
to each other, and to their substratum, during blastocyst outgrowth. These
changes presumably reflect alterations in the nature of the trophoblast cell
surface which have been described in blastocysts undergoing implantation (see
Schlafke & Enders, 1975; Sherman & Wudl, 1976; Jenkinson, 1977; Copp,
19806). The initiation of egg-cylinder formation in vivo, therefore, may depend
on changes in adhesion between trophectoderm and uterine epithelial cells as
well as clamping of the blastocyst within the uterine luminal crypt (Copp, 1978).
I thank Ginny Papaioannou and Richard Gardner for reading the manuscript. Much of
this work was carried out in the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, and was
supported by a Christopher Welch Scholarship and by the Medical Research Council.
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{Received 10 June 1980, revised 25 July 1980)