Biomaterial Database

Lectin-induced abnormalities of mouse blastocyst hatching and outgrowth in vitro. 1990

G B Dealtry, and M H Sellens

Department of Biology, University of Essex, Colchester, England.

We have examined the role of cell surface glycoconjugates during mouse blastocyst maturation, hatching, attachment, and outgrowth by monitoring the influence of six lectins on blastocyst development in vitro. Two lectins, concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin were toxic to blastocysts at the concentrations used. Bandierea simplicifolia lectin 1 (BSL-1) induced abnormal growth, developmental arrest at the hatching stage, and some disruption of cell contacts. Culture with Lotus tetragonolobus lectin-1 (LTA-1) also disrupted cell contacts and caused developmental arrest. The remaining lectins, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA) and Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA), retarded blastocyst hatching and outgrowth but did not induce any major defects, although differentiation of the inner cell mass was limited by both. This study demonstrates that very low concentrations of lectins can disrupt blastocyst development, suggesting that exposed surface saccharide moieties may be involved in interactions between blastomeres and their environment.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D001755	Blastocyst	A post-MORULA preimplantation mammalian embryo that develops from a 32-cell stage into a fluid-filled hollow ball of over a hundred cells. A blastocyst has two distinctive tissues. The outer layer of trophoblasts gives rise to extra-embryonic tissues. The inner cell mass gives rise to the embryonic disc and eventual embryo proper.	Embryo, Preimplantation,Blastocysts,Embryos, Preimplantation,Preimplantation Embryo,Preimplantation Embryos
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D003208	Concanavalin A	A MANNOSE/GLUCOSE binding lectin isolated from the jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis). It is a potent mitogen used to stimulate cell proliferation in lymphocytes, primarily T-lymphocyte, cultures.
D005260	Female		Females
D006001	Glycoconjugates	Carbohydrates covalently linked to a nonsugar moiety (lipids or proteins). The major glycoconjugates are glycoproteins, glycopeptides, peptidoglycans, glycolipids, and lipopolysaccharides. (From Biochemical Nomenclature and Related Documents, 2d ed; From Principles of Biochemistry, 2d ed)	Glycoconjugate
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014909	Wheat Germ Agglutinins	Lectins purified from the germinating seeds of common wheat (Triticum vulgare); these bind to certain carbohydrate moieties on cell surface glycoproteins and are used to identify certain cell populations and inhibit or promote some immunological or physiological activities. There are at least two isoforms of this lectin.	Agglutinins, Wheat Germ,Lectins, Triticum Vulgare,Lectins, Wheat Germ,Triticum Vulgare Lectin,Triticum Vulgare Lectins,Wheat Germ Agglutinin,Wheat Germ Lectin,Wheat Germ Lectins,Wheat Germ Agglutinin Isolectin 1,Wheat Germ Agglutinin Isolectin 2,Agglutinin, Wheat Germ,Germ Agglutinin, Wheat,Germ Lectin, Wheat,Lectin, Triticum Vulgare,Lectin, Wheat Germ,Vulgare Lectin, Triticum