Eight-cell stage

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The eight-cell stage is a period in embryonic development when the conceptus has undergone three cleavages from a single cell, resulting in eight cells. In some mammals, it is at this stage of development that the individual cells begin to adhere tightly, a process called compaction. [1] A single cell can be removed from a pre-compaction 8 cell embryo and used for genetic screening. [2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ PMID 8793055; Handyside, A.H., Nikas, G.; Ao, A., Winston, R.M.L (1996). Compaction and Surface Polarity in the Human Embryo In Vitro (pdf). Biology of Reproduction.
  2. ^ PMID 15569702
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