Overview of junctional complexes during mammalian early embryonic development

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Apr 20:14:1150017. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1150017. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

Cell-cell junctions form strong intercellular connections and mediate communication between blastomeres during preimplantation embryonic development and thus are crucial for cell integrity, polarity, cell fate specification and morphogenesis. Together with cell adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal elements, intercellular junctions orchestrate mechanotransduction, morphokinetics and signaling networks during the development of early embryos. This review focuses on the structure, organization, function and expressional pattern of the cell-cell junction complexes during early embryonic development. Understanding the importance of dynamic junction formation and maturation processes will shed light on the molecular mechanism behind developmental abnormalities of early embryos during the preimplantation period.

Keywords: adherens junction; desmosome; gap junction; junctional complexes in preimplantation embryo development; preimplantation embryo; tight junction.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Embryonic Development / physiology
  • Female
  • Intercellular Junctions* / metabolism
  • Mammals
  • Mechanotransduction, Cellular*
  • Morphogenesis
  • Pregnancy
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Yeditepe University within the scope of Yeditepe University Research Projects and Scientific Activities of Yeditepe University (YAP). Project number YAP-AP-SAB-21019.