This project aims to investigate the expression of IMMT, a key mitochondrial structural protein, during early mouse embryo development. Using immunofluorescence imaging, IMMT expression and localisation will be examined in the first two embryonic cell lineages to emerge during the preimplantation developmental period: the trophectoderm (TE), which gives rise to the foetal component of the placenta, and the inner cell mass (ICM), which forms the embryo proper.
The TE and ICM are known to adopt distinct metabolic strategies that support their different developmental fates. TE cells rely primarily on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and possess more mature mitochondria characterised by extensive cristae formation, whereas ICM cells depend more heavily on aerobic glycolysis and contain less developed mitochondria. Given IMMT's established role in maintaining mitochondrial cristae structure, this project will test the hypothesis that IMMT expression is enriched in TE cells and contributes to mitochondrial maturation during lineage specification. By correlating IMMT expression patterns with mitochondrial morphology, the study seeks to provide insight into how mitochondrial organisation supports early developmental cell fate decisions.