Maciej Meglicki

eLife Assessment This fundamental work substantially advances our understanding of the molecular basis by which early symmetry breaking events connect to the following cell fate specifications in preimplantation mammalian embryos. The evidence supporting the conclusions is compelling, with advanced image based assays and microinjection based functional tests. The work will be of broad interest to cell and developmental biologists.

ArticleOnline nowOpen access 1Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK 2Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena, CA 91125, USA 3Department of Bioengineering and Barnett Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA 4Parallel Squared Technology Institute, Watertown, MA 02472, USA 5Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Hopkins...

Abstract During mouse embryogenesis, totipotency is gradually lost, and, at the 16-cell stage, blastomeres begin to bifurcate into trophectoderm (future placenta) and inner cell mass (future fetus). Although this process is well studied, when and how blastomeres acquire the competence for lineage specification remains unclear.