A new study published in Science Advances has documented in real time the cell behaviors that generate chromosomal defects during preimplantation human embryo development. The research was led by Dr. Nicolas Plachta’s laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania and includes Dr. María Pardo and Dr. Carlos Simon from The Carlos Simon Foundation.
Using live-embryo imaging and computational analysis, the study captured early cell division events with high spatial and temporal resolution. The authors observed mitotic errors such as lagging chromosomes, micronuclei formation, multipolar divisions and cytokinesis defects producing binucleated or enucleated cells. Additional findings included chromosome dispersal and fragmentation events.
These results show that errors during mitosis and cytokinesis are major contributors to preimplantation developmental defects in human embryos. The study provides new evidence to better understand why human embryos frequently display chromosomal abnormalities associated with reduced viability.
Access the full article: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ady6402