Maternal and environmental factors in early cloned embryo development

Cytogenetic and Genome Research
Shaorong Gao, Keith E Latham

Abstract

Cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) in mammals has revealed the remarkable ability of an oocyte to reprogram somatic cell nuclei and induce them to recapitulate the developmental program. Despite the success, cloning remains very inefficient. This review summarizes recent observations from cloning in mice that reveal some of the likely causes for the present inefficiency. One cause appears to be the slow pace of reprogramming combined with the early onset of genome transcription, which together cause cloned embryos to elaborate many somatic cell characteristics even before the first cleavage division. The altered phenotypes of cloned embryos render standard embryo culture conditions grossly sub-optimum. Another cause appears to be a hitherto unappreciated contribution of spindle-associated factors to early embryo development. As current procedures remove the spindle and associated factors, cloned embryos lack these factors. These observations are providing new insight into basic mammalian embryology. They also reveal possible changes to protocols that could improve the overall success of cloning.

Citations

Jul 15, 2009·Cloning and Stem Cells·Olga ØstrupPoul Maddox-Hyttel
Feb 15, 2007·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jinsong LiPeter Mombaerts
Jun 20, 2007·Experimental Hematology·Gregor A Prindull, Eitan Fibach
Aug 30, 2008·Journal of the American Dietetic Association·Patrick J Stover, Marie A Caudill
Jun 15, 2006·Nutrition Reviews·Patrick J Stover, Cutberto Garza
Apr 21, 2007·Science·Michael L Stitzel, Geraldine Seydoux

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