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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Actin nucleator Arp2/3 complex is essential for mouse preimplantation embryo development

Shao-Chen Sun A B , Qing-Ling Wang A , Wei-Wei Gao A , Yong-Nan Xu A , Hong-Lin Liu B , Xiang-Shun Cui A and Nam-Hyung Kim A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju 361-763, Korea.

B College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.

C Corresponding author. Email: nhkim@chungbuk.ac.kr

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 25(4) 617-623 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD12011
Submitted: 12 January 2012  Accepted: 15 May 2012   Published: 15 June 2012

Abstract

The Arp2/3 complex is a critical actin nucleator, which promotes actin assembly and is widely involved in a diverse range of actin-related processes such as cell locomotion, phagocytosis and the establishment of cell polarity. Previous studies showed that the Arp2/3 complex regulates spindle migration and asymmetric division during mouse oocyte maturation; however, the role of the Arp2/3 complex in early mouse embryo development is still unknown. The results of the present study show that the Arp2/3 complex is critical for cytokinesis during mouse embryo development. The Arp2/3 complex was concentrated at the cortex of each cell at the 2- to 8-cell stage and the peripheral areas of the morula and blastocyst. Inhibition of the Arp2/3 complex by the specific inhibitor CK666 at the zygote stage caused a failure in cell division; mouse embryos failed to undergo compaction and lost apical–basal polarity. The actin level decreased in the CK666-treated group, and two or more nuclei were observed within a single cell, indicating a failure of cell division. Addition of CK666 at the 8-cell stage caused a failure of blastocyst formation, and CDX2 staining confirmed the loss of embryo polarity and the failure of trophectoderm and inner cell mass formation. Taken together, these data suggest that the Arp2/3 complex may regulate mouse embryo development via its effect on cell division.

Additional keywords: blastocyst, cytokinesis, inner cell mass, microfilament, trophectoderm.


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