During early embryonic development, endodermal cells leave the inner cell mass (ICM) and migrate over an extracellular matrix (ECM), located on the blastocoelic side of the trophectoderm, to form a continuous layer of extraembryonic endoderm. Cell migration events depend on a family of cell surface proteins known as integrins that...
Expression of membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases (MT) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP) was evaluated in sheep embryos and uterus during the pre- and peri-implantation periods. Embryos and uterine samples were surgically collected from ewes on days 9, 11, 13, and 15 of pregnancy (n=3 ewes/day) and of the estrous...