Visualization of intracellular ATP dynamics in different nephron segments under pathophysiological conditions using the kidney slice culture system.

ATP depletion plays a central role in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases. Recently, we reported spatiotemporal intracellular ATP dynamics during ischemia reperfusion (IR) using GO-ATeam2 mice systemically expressing an ATP biosensor. However, observation from the kidney surface did not allow visualization of deeper nephrons or accurate evaluation of ATP synthesis pathways. Here, we established a novel ATP imaging system using slice culture of GO-ATeam2 mouse kidneys, evaluated the ATP synthesis pathway, and analyzed intracellular ATP dynamics using an ex vivo IR-mimicking model and a cisplatin nephropathy model. Proximal tubules (PTs) were found to be strongly dependent on oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) using the inhibitor oligomycin A, whereas podocytes relied on both OXPHOS and glycolysis using phloretin an active transport inhibitor of glucose. We also confirmed that an ex vivo IR-mimicking model could recapitulate ATP dynamics in vivo; ATP recovery in PTs after reoxygenation varied depending on anoxic time length, whereas ATP in distal tubules (DTs) recovered well even after long-term anoxia. After cisplatin administration, ATP levels in PTs decreased first, followed by a decrease in DTs. An organic cation transporter 2 inhibitor, cimetidine, suppressed cisplatin uptake in kidney slices, leading to better ATP recovery in PTs, but not in DTs. Finally, we confirmed that a mitochondria protection reagent (Mitochonic Acid 5) delayed the cisplatin-induced ATP decrease in PTs. Thus, our novel system may provide new insights into the energy dynamics and pathogenesis of kidney disease.

Collagen Lattice Model, Populated with Heterogeneous Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts, Facilitates Advanced Reconstruction of Pancreatic Cancer Microenvironment.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a solid-tumor malignancy. To enhance the treatment landscape of PDAC, a 3D model optimized for rigorous drug screening is essential. Within the PDAC tumor microenvironment, a dense stroma comprising a large extracellular matrix and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) is well-known for its vital role in modulating tumor growth, cellular heterogeneity, bidirectional paracrine signaling, and chemoresistance. In this study, we employed a fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL) modeling approach that has the ability to replicate fibroblast contractility in the collagenous matrix to build dense stroma. This FPCL model allows CAF differentiation by facilitating multifaceted cell-cell interactions between cancer cells and CAFs, with the differentiation further influenced by mechanical forces and hypoxia carried within the 3D structure. Our FPCL models displayed hallmark features, including ductal gland structures and differentiated CAFs with spindle shapes. Through morphological explorations alongside in-depth transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling, we identified substantial molecular shifts from the nascent to mature model stages and potential metabolic biomarkers, such as proline. The initial pharmacological assays highlighted the effectiveness of our FPCL model in screening for improved therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, our PDAC modeling platform mirrors complex tumor microenvironmental dynamics and offers an unparalleled perspective for therapeutic exploration.

Osteoclasts adapt to physioxia perturbation through DNA demethylation.

Oxygen plays an important role in diverse biological processes. However, since quantitation of the partial pressure of cellular oxygen in vivo is challenging, the extent of oxygen perturbation in situ and its cellular response remains underexplored. Using two-photon phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, we determine the physiological range of oxygen tension in osteoclasts of live mice. We find that oxygen tension ranges from 17.4 to 36.4 mmHg, under hypoxic and normoxic conditions, respectively. Physiological normoxia thus corresponds to 5% and hypoxia to 2% oxygen in osteoclasts. Hypoxia in this range severely limits osteoclastogenesis, independent of energy metabolism and hypoxia-inducible factor activity. We observe that hypoxia decreases ten-eleven translocation (TET) activity. Tet2/3 cooperatively induces Prdm1 expression via oxygen-dependent DNA demethylation, which in turn activates NFATc1 required for osteoclastogenesis. Taken together, our results reveal that TET enzymes, acting as functional oxygen sensors, regulate osteoclastogenesis within the physiological range of oxygen tension, thus opening new avenues for research on in vivo response to oxygen perturbation.

Excess intracellular ATP causes neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury.

Intractable neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury (NP-SCI) reduces a patient's quality of life. Excessive release of ATP into the extracellular space evokes neuroinflammation via purinergic receptor. Neuroinflammation plays an important role in the initiation and maintenance of NP. However, little is known about whether or not extracellular ATP cause NP-SCI. We found in the present study that excess of intracellular ATP at the lesion site evokes at-level NP-SCI. No significant differences in the body weight, locomotor function, or motor behaviors were found in groups that were negative and positive for at-level allodynia. The intracellular ATP level at the lesion site was significantly higher in the allodynia-positive mice than in the allodynia-negative mice. A metabolome analysis revealed that there were no significant differences in the ATP production or degradation between allodynia-negative and allodynia-positive mice. Dorsal horn neurons in allodynia mice were found to be inactivated in the resting state, suggesting that decreased ATP consumption due to neural inactivity leads to a build-up of intracellular ATP. In contrast to the findings in the resting state, mechanical stimulation increased the neural activity of dorsal horn and extracellular ATP release at lesion site. The forced production of intracellular ATP at the lesion site in non-allodynia mice induced allodynia. The inhibition of P2X4 receptors in allodynia mice reduced allodynia. These results suggest that an excess buildup of intracellular ATP in the resting state causes at-level NP-SCI as a result of the extracellular release of ATP with mechanical stimulation.

Decoding Metabolic Symbiosis between Pancreatic Cancer Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Using Cultured Tumor Microenvironment.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis, largely due to its unique tumor microenvironment (TME) and dense fibrotic stroma. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a crucial role in promoting tumor growth and metastasis, contributing to the metabolic adaptation of PDAC cells. However, the metabolic interactions between PDAC cells and CAFs are not well-understood. In this study, an in vitro co-culture model was used to investigate these metabolic interactions. Metabolomic analysis was performed under monoculture conditions of Capan-1 PDAC cells and CAF precursor cells, as well as co-culture conditions of PDAC cells and differentiated inflammatory CAF (iCAF). Co-cultured Capan-1 cells displayed significant metabolic changes, such as increased 2-oxoglutaric acid and lauric acid and decreased amino acids. The metabolic profiles of co-cultured Capan-1 and CAFs revealed differences in intracellular metabolites. Analysis of extracellular metabolites in the culture supernatant showed distinct differences between Capan-1 and CAF precursors, with the co-culture supernatant exhibiting the most significant changes. A comparison of the culture supernatants of Capan-1 and CAF precursors revealed different metabolic processes while co-culturing the two cell types demonstrated potential metabolic interactions. In conclusion, this study emphasizes the importance of metabolic interactions between cancer cells and CAFs in tumor progression and highlights the role of TME in metabolic reprogramming.

Two-photon AMPK and ATP imaging reveals the bias between rods and cones in glycolysis utility.

In vertebrates, retinal rod and cone photoreceptor cells rely significantly on glycolysis. Lactate released from photoreceptor cells fuels neighboring retinal pigment epithelium cells and Müller glial cells through oxidative phosphorylation. To understand this highly heterogeneous metabolic environment around photoreceptor cells, single-cell analysis is needed. Here, we visualized cellular AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity and ATP levels in the retina by two-photon microscopy. Transgenic mice expressing a hyBRET-AMPK biosensor were used for measuring the AMPK activity. GO-ATeam2 transgenic mice were used for measuring the ATP level. Temporal metabolic responses were successfully detected in the live retinal explants upon drug perfusion. A glycolysis inhibitor, 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG), activated AMPK and reduced ATP. These effects were clearly stronger in rods than in cones. Notably, rod AMPK and ATP started to recover at 30 min from the onset of 2-DG perfusion. Consistent with these findings, ex vivo electroretinogram recordings showed a transient slowdown in rod dim flash responses during a 60-min 2-DG perfusion, whereas cone responses were not affected. Based on these results, we propose that cones surrounded by highly glycolytic rods become less dependent on glycolysis, and rods also become less dependent on glycolysis within 60 min upon the glycolysis inhibition.

Spatiotemporal ATP Dynamics during AKI Predict Renal Prognosis.

BACKGROUND: Depletion of ATP in renal tubular cells plays the central role in the pathogenesis of kidney diseases. Nevertheless, inability to visualize spatiotemporal in vivo ATP distribution and dynamics has hindered further analysis. METHODS: A novel mouse line systemically expressing an ATP biosensor (an ATP synthase subunit and two fluorophores) revealed spatiotemporal ATP dynamics at single-cell resolution during warm and cold ischemic reperfusion (IR) with two-photon microscopy. This experimental system enabled quantification of fibrosis 2 weeks after IR and assessment of the relationship between the ATP recovery in acute phase and fibrosis in chronic phase. RESULTS: Upon ischemia induction, the ATP levels of proximal tubule (PT) cells decreased to the nadir within a few minutes, whereas those of distal tubule (DT) cells decreased gradually up to 1 hour. Upon reperfusion, the recovery rate of ATP in PTs was slower with longer ischemia. In stark contrast, ATP in DTs was quickly rebounded irrespective of ischemia duration. Morphologic changes of mitochondria in the acute phase support the observation of different ATP dynamics in the two segments. Furthermore, slow and incomplete ATP recovery of PTs in the acute phase inversely correlated with fibrosis in the chronic phase. Ischemia under conditions of hypothermia resulted in more rapid and complete ATP recovery with less fibrosis, providing a proof of concept for use of hypothermia to protect kidney tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Visualizing spatiotemporal ATP dynamics during IR injury revealed higher sensitivity of PT cells to ischemia compared with DT cells in terms of energy metabolism. The ATP dynamics of PTs in AKI might provide prognostic information.

ATP turnover and glucose dependency in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells are increased by proliferation and differentiation.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are quiescent cells in the bone marrow niche and are relatively dependent on glycolytic ATP production. On the other hand, differentiated cells, including hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), preferentially generate ATP via oxidative phosphorylation. However, it is unclear how cellular differentiation and the cell cycle status affect nutritional requirements and ATP production in HSCs and HPCs. Using a newly developed culture system, we demonstrated that survival of HPCs was strongly dependent on glucose, whereas quiescent HSCs survived for a certain duration without glucose. Among HPCs, granulocyte/monocyte progenitors (GMPs) were particularly dependent on glucose during proliferation. By monitoring the ATP concentration in live cells, we demonstrated that the ATP level was maintained for a short duration without glucose in HSCs, possibly due to their metabolic flexibility. In addition, HSCs exhibited low ATP turnover, whereas HPCs including GMPs demonstrated high ATP turnover and required efficient ATP production from glucose. These findings show that ATP turnover and nutritional requirements differ between HSCs and HPCs according to the cell cycle and differentiation status.

Mammalian embryos show metabolic plasticity toward the surrounding environment during neural tube closure.

Developing embryos rewire energy metabolism for developmental processes. However, little is known about how metabolic rewiring is coupled with development in a spatiotemporal manner. Here, we show that mammalian embryos display plasticity of glucose metabolism in response to the extracellular environment at the neural tube closure (NTC) stage, when the intrauterine environment changes upon placentation. To study how embryos modulate their metabolic state upon environmental change, we analyzed the steady-state level of ATP upon exposure to extrauterine environments using both an enzymatic assay and a genetically encoded ATP sensor. Upon environmental changes, NTC-stage embryos exhibited increased ATP content, whereas embryos before and after NTC did not. The increased ATP in the NTC-stage embryos seemed to depend on glycolysis. Intriguingly, an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was also observed in the neural ectoderm (NE) and the neural plate border of the non-neural ectoderm (NNE) region. This implies that glycolysis can be coupled with the TCA cycle in the NE and the neural plate border depending on environmental context. Disrupting ΔΨm inhibited folding of the cranial neural plate. Thus, we propose that embryos tune metabolic plasticity to enable coupling of glucose metabolism with the extracellular environment at the NTC stage.

Removal of maternal retinoic acid by embryonic CYP26 is required for correct Nodal expression during early embryonic patterning.

The abundance of retinoic acid (RA) is determined by the balance between its synthesis by retinaldehyde dehydrogenase (RALDH) and its degradation by CYP26. In particular, the dynamic expression of three CYP26 genes controls the regional level of RA within the body. Pregastrulation mouse embryos express CYP26 but not RALDH. We now show that mice lacking all three CYP26 genes manifest duplication of the body axis as a result of expansion of the Nodal expression domain throughout the epiblast. Mouse Nodal was found to contain an RA-responsive element in intron 1 that is highly conserved among mammals. In the absence of CYP26, maternally derived RA activates Nodal expression in the entire epiblast of pregastrulation embryos via this element. These observations suggest that maternal RA must be removed by embryonic CYP26 for correct Nodal expression during embryonic patterning.

Inhibition of intracellular ATP synthesis impairs the recruitment of homologous recombination factors after ionizing radiation.

Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced double-strand breaks (DSBs) are primarily repaired by non-homologous end joining or homologous recombination (HR) in human cells. DSB repair requires adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) for protein kinase activities in the multiple steps of DSB repair, such as DNA ligation, chromatin remodeling, and DNA damage signaling via protein kinase and ATPase activities. To investigate whether low ATP culture conditions affect the recruitment of repair proteins at DSB sites, IR-induced foci were examined in the presence of ATP synthesis inhibitors. We found that p53 binding protein 1 foci formation was modestly reduced under low ATP conditions after IR, although phosphorylated histone H2AX and mediator of DNA damage checkpoint 1 foci formation were not impaired. Next, we examined the foci formation of breast cancer susceptibility gene I (BRCA1), replication protein A (RPA) and radiation 51 (RAD51), which are HR factors, in G2 phase cells following IR. Interestingly, BRCA1 and RPA foci in the G2 phase were significantly reduced under low ATP conditions compared to that under normal culture conditions. Notably, RAD51 foci were drastically impaired under low ATP conditions. These results suggest that HR does not effectively progress under low ATP conditions; in particular, ATP shortages impair downstream steps in HR, such as RAD51 loading. Taken together, these results suggest that the maintenance of cellular ATP levels is critical for DNA damage response and HR progression after IR.

SDHAF1 confers metabolic resilience to aging hematopoietic stem cells by promoting mitochondrial ATP production.

Aging generally predisposes stem cells to functional decline, impairing tissue homeostasis. Here, we report that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) acquire metabolic resilience that promotes cell survival. High-resolution real-time ATP analysis with glucose tracing and metabolic flux analysis revealed that old HSCs reprogram their metabolism to activate the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), becoming more resistant to oxidative stress and less dependent on glycolytic ATP production at steady state. As a result, old HSCs can survive without glycolysis, adapting to the physiological cytokine environment in bone marrow. Mechanistically, old HSCs enhance mitochondrial complex II metabolism during stress to promote ATP production. Furthermore, increased succinate dehydrogenase assembly factor 1 (SDHAF1) in old HSCs, induced by physiological low-concentration thrombopoietin (TPO) exposure, enables rapid mitochondrial ATP production upon metabolic stress, thereby improving survival. This study provides insight into the acquisition of resilience through metabolic reprogramming in old HSCs and its molecular basis to ameliorate age-related hematopoietic abnormalities.

Context-dependent modification of PFKFB3 in hematopoietic stem cells promotes anaerobic glycolysis and ensures stress hematopoiesis.

Metabolic pathways are plastic and rapidly change in response to stress or perturbation. Current metabolic profiling techniques require lysis of many cells, complicating the tracking of metabolic changes over time after stress in rare cells such as hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Here, we aimed to identify the key metabolic enzymes that define differences in glycolytic metabolism between steady-state and stress conditions in murine HSCs and elucidate their regulatory mechanisms. Through quantitative 13C metabolic flux analysis of glucose metabolism using high-sensitivity glucose tracing and mathematical modeling, we found that HSCs activate the glycolytic rate-limiting enzyme phosphofructokinase (PFK) during proliferation and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) inhibition. Real-time measurement of ATP levels in single HSCs demonstrated that proliferative stress or OXPHOS inhibition led to accelerated glycolysis via increased activity of PFKFB3, the enzyme regulating an allosteric PFK activator, within seconds to meet ATP requirements. Furthermore, varying stresses differentially activated PFKFB3 via PRMT1-dependent methylation during proliferative stress and via AMPK-dependent phosphorylation during OXPHOS inhibition. Overexpression of Pfkfb3 induced HSC proliferation and promoted differentiated cell production, whereas inhibition or loss of Pfkfb3 suppressed them. This study reveals the flexible and multilayered regulation of HSC glycolytic metabolism to sustain hematopoiesis under stress and provides techniques to better understand the physiological metabolism of rare hematopoietic cells.

Glycolytic System in Axons Supplement Decreased ATP Levels after Axotomy of the Peripheral Nerve.

Wallerian degeneration (WD) occurs in the early stages of numerous neurologic disorders, and clarifying WD pathology is crucial for the advancement of neurologic therapies. ATP is acknowledged as one of the key pathologic substances in WD. The ATP-related pathologic pathways that regulate WD have been defined. The elevation of ATP levels in axon contributes to delay WD and protects axons. However, ATP is necessary for the active processes to proceed WD, given that WD is stringently managed by auto-destruction programs. But little is known about the bioenergetics during WD. In this study, we made sciatic nerve transection models for GO-ATeam2 knock-in rats and mice. We presented the spatiotemporal ATP distribution in the injured axons with in vivo ATP imaging systems, and investigated the metabolic source of ATP in the distal nerve stump. A gradual decrease in ATP levels was observed before the progression of WD. In addition, the glycolytic system and monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) were activated in Schwann cells following axotomy. Interestingly, in axons, we found the activation of glycolytic system and the inactivation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Glycolytic inhibitors, 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) and MCT inhibitors, a-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (4-CIN) decreased ATP and enhanced WD progression, whereas mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) inhibitors (MSDC-0160) did not change. Finally, ethyl pyruvate (EP) increased ATP levels and delayed WD. Together, our findings suggest that glycolytic system, both in Schwann cells and axons, is the main source of maintaining ATP levels in the distal nerve stump.

Exploring the Role of Desmoplastic Physical Stroma in Pancreatic Cancer Progression Using a Three-Dimensional Collagen Matrix Model.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a refractory tumor with a poor prognosis, and its complex microenvironment is characterized by a fibrous interstitial matrix surrounding PDAC cells. Type I collagen is a major component of this interstitial matrix. Abundant type I collagen promotes its deposition and cross-linking to form a rigid and dense physical barrier, which limits drug penetration and immune cell infiltration and provides drug resistance and metabolic adaptations. In this study, to identify the physical effect of the stroma, type I collagen was used as a 3D matrix to culture Capan-1 cells and generate a 3D PDAC model. Using transcriptome analysis, a link between type I collagen-induced physical effects and the promotion of Capan-1 cell proliferation and migration was determined. Moreover, metabolomic analysis revealed that the physical effect caused a shift in metabolism toward a glycolytic phenotype. In particular, the high expression of proline in the metabolites suggests the ability to maintain Capan-1 cell proliferation under hypoxic and nutrient-depleted conditions. In conclusion, we identified type I collagen-induced physical effects in promoting Capan-1 cells, which cause PDAC progression, providing support for the role of dense stroma in the PDAC microenvironment and identifying a fundamental method for modeling the complex PDAC microenvironment.

The SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin improves cardiac energy status via mitochondrial ATP production in diabetic mice.

Empagliflozin, a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor developed, has been shown to reduce cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. Several studies have suggested that empagliflozin improves the cardiac energy state which is a partial cause of its potency. However, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. To address this issue, we used a mouse model that enabled direct measurement of cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP levels. Empagliflozin treatment significantly increased cytosolic and mitochondrial ATP levels in the hearts of db/db mice. Empagliflozin also enhanced cardiac robustness by maintaining intracellular ATP levels and the recovery capacity in the infarcted area during ischemic-reperfusion. Our findings suggest that empagliflozin enters cardiac mitochondria and directly causes these effects by increasing mitochondrial ATP via inhibition of NHE1 and Nav1.5 or their common downstream sites. These cardioprotective effects may be involved in the beneficial effects on heart failure seen in clinical trials.

Distinct roles of the preparatory and payoff phases of glycolysis in hematopoietic stem cells.

In physiological conditions, most adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain a quiescent state. Glycolysis is a metabolic process that can be divided into preparatory and payoff phases. Although the payoff phase maintains HSC function and properties, the role of the preparatory phase remains unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the preparatory or payoff phases of glycolysis were required for maintenance of quiescent and proliferative HSCs. We used glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (Gpi1) as a representative gene for the preparatory phase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapdh) as a representative gene for the payoff phase of glycolysis. First, we identified that stem cell function and survival were impaired in Gapdh-edited proliferative HSCs. Contrastingly, cell survival was maintained in quiescent Gapdh- and Gpi1-edited HSCs. Gapdh- and Gpi1-defective quiescent HSCs maintained adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) levels by increasing mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), whereas ATP levels were decreased in Gapdh-edited proliferative HSCs. Interestingly, Gpi1-edited proliferative HSCs maintained ATP levels independent of increased OXPHOS. Oxythiamine, a transketolase inhibitor, impaired proliferation of Gpi1-edited HSCs, suggesting that the nonoxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is an alternative means to maintain glycolytic flux in Gpi1-defective HSCs. Our findings suggest that OXPHOS compensated for glycolytic deficiencies in quiescent HSCs, and that in proliferative HSCs, nonoxidative PPP compensated for defects in the preparatory phase of glycolysis but not for defects in the payoff phase. These findings provide new insights into regulation of HSC metabolism, which could have implications for development of novel therapies for hematologic disorders.

The mouse embryo autonomously acquires anterior-posterior polarity at implantation.

The earliest recognizable sign of patterning of the mouse embryo along the anteroposterior (A-P) axis is the migration of the distal visceral endoderm (DVE) toward the future anterior side. Here we report an asymmetry in the mouse embryo at an unexpectedly early stage. The gene for Lefty1, a Nodal antagonist that influences the direction of DVE migration, was found to be asymmetrically expressed in the primitive endoderm of the implanting blastocyst. Lefty1 expression begins randomly in the inner cell mass (ICM) of the blastocyst but is regionalized to one side of the tilted ICM shortly after implantation. Asymmetric expression of Lefty1 can be established by in vitro culture, indicating that it does not require interaction with the uterus. The asymmetric Lefty1 expression is induced by Nodal signaling, although Nodal and genes for its effectors are expressed symmetrically. This asymmetry in molecular patterning of the mouse embryo pushes back the origin of the A-P body axis to the peri-implantation stage.

Generation of robust left-right asymmetry in the mouse embryo requires a self-enhancement and lateral-inhibition system.

The bilateral symmetry of the mouse embryo is broken by leftward fluid flow in the node. However, it is unclear how this directional flow is then translated into the robust, left side-specific Nodal gene expression that determines and coordinates left-right situs throughout the embryo. While manipulating Nodal and Lefty gene expression, we have observed phenomena that are indicative of the involvement of a self-enhancement and lateral-inhibition (SELI) system. We constructed a mathematical SELI model that not only simulates, but also predicts, experimental data. As predicted by the model, Nodal expression initiates even on the right side. These results indicate that directional flow represents an initial small difference between the left and right sides of the embryo, but is insufficient to determine embryonic situs. Nodal and Lefty are deployed as a SELI system required to amplify this initial bias and convert it into robust asymmetry.

Origin of body axes in the mouse embryo.

How and at what stage of development are the axes of the body determined? The left-right axis of the mouse embryo is generated de novo at embryonic day (E) 8.0 in a manner dependent on pre-existing positional cues. The anterior-posterior (A-P) axis becomes apparent earlier when distally located visceral endoderm migrates toward the future anterior side at E5.5. The direction of this migration is predetermined by asymmetric expression of Lefty1 and Cerl1(Cerberus-like 1). Asymmetric expression of Lefty1 takes place even earlier, in the primitive endoderm of the implanting blastocyst, pushing back the origin of the A-P axis to the peri-implantation stage. Although its functional significance remains to be seen, studies on how this molecular asymmetry emerges may provide insight into the origin of A-P polarity. The first cell fate decision occurs by the morula stage. Although blastomeres at the two-cell or four-cell stage may have biased fates, it is currently unknown whether this bias has any causal relation to later fate.