Blastomere Explants to Test for Cell Fate Commitment During Embryonic Development

Abstract

Fate maps, constructed from lineage tracing all of the cells of an embryo, reveal which tissues descend from each cell of the embryo. Although fate maps are very useful for identifying the precursors of an organ and for elucidating the developmental path by which the descendant cells populate that organ in the normal embryo, they do not illustrate the full developmental potential of a precursor cell or identify the mechanisms by which its fate is determined. To test for cell fate commitment, one compares a cell's normal repertoire of descendants in the intact embryo (the fate map) with those expressed after an experimental manipulation. Is the cell's fate fixed (committed) regardless of the surrounding cellular environment, or is it influenced by external factors provided by its neighbors? Using the comprehensive fate maps of the Xenopus embryo, we describe how to identify, isolate and culture single cleavage stage precursors, called blastomeres. This approach allows one to assess whether these early cells are committed to the fate they acquire in their normal environment in the intact embryo, require interactions with their neighboring cells, or can be influenced to express alternate fates if exposed to other types of signals.

Single‐cell proteomics by mass spectrometry: Advances and implications in cancer research

“…However, it is advantageous in preserving spatial information; is the quickest method when dealing with small sample size (one to ten cells), and is especially useful when cell states can be observed under the usual light microscope [39]. A good example of this application would be the isolation of precious samples such as blastomeres and oocytes [36, 40], as well as isolating migrating and non‐migrating cells in scratch assay [38]. …”