Lectin receptors on preimplantation mouse embryos. The solidity of lectin binding.

Receptor sites for 7 FITC-conjugated lectins were examined on preimplantation mouse embryos at various stages of development: zygotes; 2; 6-8 cells; morulae; blastocyst; expanded blastocyst, and isolated inner cell mass. In order to determine the solidity of the binding, the embryos were incubated with lectins, washed and incubated for an additional time with the specific hapten sugar. Receptor sites for all 7 lectins were found on the cell surface of all preimplantation mouse embryonic stages examined. The binding was found to be specific. The solidity of the lectins' binding to the receptors was found to be high, since it could not be removed by the corresponding sugar hapten.