A comprehensive understanding of the complex embryo-maternal interactions during the
preimplantation period requires the analysis of the very early stages of pregnancy
encompassing early embryonic development, maternal recognition and the events leading
to implantation. Despite the fact that embryo development until blastocyst stage is somewhat
autonomous (ie, does not require contact with the maternal reproductive tract and can be
successfully recapitulated in vitro), many studies on ruminant embryo production have …