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The slippery slope antedating syngamy: pronuclear activity in preparation for the first cleavage

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Abstract

Nucleolus precursor bodies (NPB) are aggregations of intrapronuclear material observed in the pronuclei of fertilized human eggs. They derive from and evolve into nucleoli of the growing oocyte and the early embryo, respectively. Decades-old observations suggest that the patterns of their distribution represent a morphological marker of embryo developmental competence. Recent time-lapse microscopy (TLM) data now indicate that the vectorial characteristics of NPB movement can predict blastocyst formation, euploidy, and implantation. Since distributions of NPB and chromatin coincide, chromatin rearrangement in preparation for the first mitotic cleavage is emerging as a crucial process of early development.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 9.baby Family and Fertility Center, Via Dante 15, Bologna, Italy

    Giovanni Coticchio & Andrea Borini

  2. Bedford Research Foundation, Bedford, MA, USA

    David F. Albertini

Authors
  1. Giovanni Coticchio
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  2. Andrea Borini
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  3. David F. Albertini
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Correspondence to Giovanni Coticchio.

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Coticchio, G., Borini, A. & Albertini, D.F. The slippery slope antedating syngamy: pronuclear activity in preparation for the first cleavage. J Assist Reprod Genet 38, 1721–1723 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-021-02238-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-021-02238-6

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