Changes in sub-cellular localisation of trophoblast and inner cell mass specific transcription factors during bovine preimplantation development

Abstract

Cell fate specification in cattle become evident earlier than presently anticipated - around the time of bovine embryonic genome activation. There is an intriguing possibility that for proper lineage determination certain transcription factors (such as CDX2) may need to occupy specific regions of chromatin prior to its activation in the interphase nucleus. Our observation suggests a possible role of CDX2 in the process of epigenetic regulation of embryonic cell fate.