title: Cell signaling and transcription factors regulating cell fate during formation of the mouse blastocyst.
abstract: The first cell fate decisions during mammalian development establish tissues essential for healthy pregnancy. The mouse has served as a valuable model for discovering pathways regulating the first cell fate decisions because of the ease with which early embryos can be recovered and the availability of an arsenal of classical and emerging methods for manipulating gene expression. We summarize the major pathways that govern the first cell fate decisions in mouse development. This knowledge serves as a paradigm for exploring how emergent properties of a self-organizing system can dynamically regulate gene expression and cell fate plasticity. Moreover, it brings to light the processes that establish healthy pregnancy and ES cells. We also describe unsolved mysteries and new technologies that could help to overcome experimental challenges in the field.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
authors.forename: Tristan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Frum
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA. Electronic address: aralston@msu.edu.
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ralston
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014157:Transcription Factors
keywords: emergent properties; gene networks; pluripotency; preimplantation; reproduction; stem cells