MOLECULAR-GENETICS OF IMPLANTATION IN THE MOUSE

Embryo implantation is a complex developmental process requiring preci se coordination between mother and offspring io ensure success. Implan tation failure is clinically relevant to in vitro fertilization progra ms and to an understanding of diseases of pregnancy like preeclampsia, Basic and clinical research have identified a number of proteins invo lved in peri-implantation development, but an understanding of the imp lantation process and its cellular and molecular components is just be ginning. This review will the implantation and development of the muri ne embryo and placenta. The significance of ectopic expression and tar geted mutagenesis models io these processes will be discussed. (C) 199 7 Wiley-Liss, Inc.