Imaging Cell Movements in Egg-Cylinder Stage Mouse Embryos

Cell movements in the pregastrulation egg cylinder mouse embryo play an important role in patterning. The stereotypic movement of the anterior visceral endoderm converts a proximal-distal axis to an anteroposterior axis by properly positioning the primitive streak. The epiblast at this stage is also characterized by a great deal of cell mixing, about which very little is known. Visualizing such cell movements can help us understand their role in embryonic development. This protocol describes a method to isolate and culture the egg cylinder-stage mouse embryo, as well as an approach for time-lapse imaging of embryos cultured in vivo.