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Compacting embryo

SEM of a compacting stage 2 embryo in vitro, post insemination day 4. Intercellular cleft between some blastomeres have disappeared and have dense microvilli. Other blastomeres are flattened against each other with greatly reduced intercellular clefts. Noncompacted cells are also present which have fewer microvilli. Zona pellucida was removed mechanically.

From: Nikas et al., 1996. Reproduced with permission of the publisher, John Wiley & Sons.

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Keywords: blastomere, compacting embryo, intercellular cleft, stage 2 embryo, zona pellucida


Source: The Virtual Human Embryo.