Embryonic Mouse Development

Mice have short gestation periods of 18 to 21 days. Mice also have large litters. This makes them the perfect laboratory animal for genetic research. The growth of the mouse embryo is a model for study of the growth of mammal embryos.

  1. Time Frame

    • For the first three or four days, the baby mouse is a round collection of cells called a morula. Then it expands into a mostly round blastocycst. A mouse embryo does not begin to be seen until about the tenth day after conception.

    Significance

    • By knowing the minute details of mouse embryo development, or embryogenesis, scientists can determine when is the best time to remove or insert genetic material into developing mice. They also know what a normal embryogenesis is like.

    Considerations

    • In order to learn mouse embryogenesis, pregnant mice had their embryos removed at certain times after breeding. The embryo was then scanned with an MRI or magnetic resonance imaging machine.