The development of high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) at the single-cell level has
already led to profound new discoveries in biology, ranging from the identification of novel …

During mouse preimplantation embryo development, totipotent blastomeres generate the
first three cell lineages of the embryo: trophectoderm, epiblast and primitive endoderm. In …

Early embryogenesis is a conserved and self-organized process. In the mammalian embryo,
the potential for self-organization is manifested in its extraordinary developmental plasticity …

To implant in the uterus, the mammalian embryo first specifies two cell lineages: the
pluripotent inner cell mass that forms the fetus, and the outer trophectoderm layer that forms …

Asymmetric cell division (ACD) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism used by
prokaryotes and eukaryotes alike to control cell fate and generate cell diversity. A detailed …

The cytoskeleton—comprising actin filaments, microtubules and intermediate filaments—
serves instructive roles in regulating cell function and behaviour during development …

There is surprising confusion surrounding the concept of biological totipotency, both within
the scientific community and in society at large. Increasingly, ethical objections to scientific …

The spatial sorting of RNA transcripts is fundamental for the refinement of gene expression
to distinct subcellular regions. Although, in non-mammalian early embryogenesis …

Cell identity is specified in the early mammalian embryo by the generation of precursors for
two cell lineages: the pluripotent inner cell mass and differentiating trophectoderm. Here we …

A critical point in mammalian development is when the early embryo implants into its
mother's uterus. This event has historically been difficult to study due to the fact that it occurs …