Features of cell lineage in preimplantation mouse development.

The cell lineage of the mouse was studied from the 2-cell stage to the blastocyst. Lineage to the 8-cell stage was followed under the microscope. Each cell from the 2-cell stage divided to form two daughter cells which remained attached. Subsequently, these two daughters each produced two descendants; one of these descendants regularly lay deep in the structure of the embryo while the other was peripheral. Lineage to the blastocyst was followed by injecting oil drops into cells at the 8-cell stage, and then following the segregation of these drops into the inner cell mass and trophectoderm. Between the 8-cell stage and the blastocyst, the deep cells contributed more frequently to the inner cell mass than did the peripheral cells.