Metabolism of the viable human embryo

Abstract

Regulation of energy production is fundamental to the survival and propagation of any cell type. What makes the preimplantation mammalian embryo so fascinating to study is the fact that the embryo undergoes major changes in its physiology and gene expression profiles during development. As the fertilised oocyte develops and differentiates into the blastocyst, embryonic genes are successively turned on (with the concomitant destruction of maternally derived mRNAs). Subsequently there is a growing energy demand as mitoses and biosynthesis increase post-embryonic-genome activation and as the blastocoel subsequently forms (through the activity of Na/K ATPase in the trophectoderm). Concomitantly,..