... mammalian embryo, two distinct populations of pluripotent cells have been described: the inner cell mass (ICM), which differentiates to form a second pluripotent cell populations, the primitive ectoderm. Indirect evidence suggests the existence of temporally distinct intermediate pluripotent cell...

... Differentiation Embryogenesis ES cell ICM Pluripotent cell Primitive ectoderm Early developmental events within the mammalian embryo entail the formation of extra-embryonic cell lineages and the construction of an embryonic environment in which later development can proceed. The resulting blastocyst...

... trophectoderm ICM blastocyst uvomorulin E-cadherin intercellular junctions tight junction zonula occludens ZO-1 cingulin desmosome In our laboratory, we study the process of epithelial differentiation and polarization in the cleaving mouse embryo. The epithelium in question, the trophectoderm...