PubMed · 10871645
X inactivation-specific transcript expression in mouse oocytes and zygotes.
Abstract
Expression of the X inactivation-specific transcript (XIST:) gene has previously been shown by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to be present at the 4-cell stage of female mouse embryos. This early expression, which is followed by X inactivation in the extra-embryonic tissues, is maternally imprinted. By the blastocyst stage, as the embryonic lineages begin to form, the imprint is lost and expression becomes random. By applying in-situ RT-PCR, we showed that XIST: is expressed even earlier in development, in unfertilized mouse oocytes as well as in pronuclei stage zygotes. Our data demonstrate XIST: expression in oocytes and suggest that XIST: transcripts may occur in both XX and XY zygotes. A difference in the pattern of expression (rod-like or rounded punctate signal) is found among pronuclear-stage embryos. Early expression is in agreement with findings reported in human embryos.
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R Avner, J Wahrman, C Richler, N Ayoub, A Friedmann, N Laufer, S Mitrani-Rosenbaum. 2000. X inactivation-specific transcript expression in mouse oocytes and zygotes.. https://doi.org/10.1093/molehr%2F6.7.591
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