title: Coordination Mechanisms of Mammalian Embryo Implantation creator: Bondarenko, Vladyslav subject: ddc-000 subject: 000 Generalities, Science subject: ddc-570 subject: 570 Life sciences description: A direct interaction between the extraembryonic and the uterine tissues during embryo implantation generates a unique biomechanical context for the blastocyst. However, our mechanistic understanding of the regulation of blastocyst morphogenesis during implantation is limited by the inaccessibility in vivo and remaining challenges to model feto-maternal interaction ex vivo. To overcome these limitations, I applied microfabrication and biomaterial engineering to model biomechanical cues of the murine intrauterine environment ex vivo with high precision and tunability. I identify that embryo-uterine adhesion and tissue geometry are critical for successful peri-implantation development. In a specific parameter range, closely resembling in utero conditions, the 3D geometrically patterned hydrogel supports mouse blastocysts through implantation and enables robust peri-implantation morphogenesis; promotes the development of the Reichert’s membrane and all extraembryonic tissues, including giant trophoblast, which directly interacts with the uterus. To monitor in toto peri-implantation embryo dynamics, the culture method was integrated with inverted view InVi-SPIM and multiview MuVi-SPIM light-sheet microscopes. I show that integrin-mediated adhesion by the mural trophectoderm provides the mechanism of trophectoderm tension release, driving the morphogenesis of the extraembryonic ectoderm and egg cylinder patterning. Moreover, the embryo-uterine adhesion enables collective trophoblast migration, dependent on Rac1. Finally, I demonstrate that the uterine tissue geometry spatially coordinates collective trophoblast migration to delineate space for egg cylinder growth. Together, this study reveals essential mechanisms of dynamic embryo-uterus interactions during peri-implantation development. date: 2023 type: Dissertation type: info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis type: NonPeerReviewed format: application/pdf identifier: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserverhttps://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/33153/1/Thesis_VBondarenko.pdf identifier: DOI:10.11588/heidok.00033153 identifier: urn:nbn:de:bsz:16-heidok-331539 identifier: Bondarenko, Vladyslav (2023) Coordination Mechanisms of Mammalian Embryo Implantation. [Dissertation] relation: https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/33153/ rights: info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess rights: http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/help/license_urhg.html language: eng