A comprehensive understanding of the complex embryo-maternal interactions during the
preimplantation period requires the analysis of the very early stages of pregnancy …

Ongoing detailed investigations into embryo–maternal communication before implantation
reveal that during early embryonic development a plethora of events are taking place …

The study of preimplantation mammalian embryo development is challenging due to
difficulties in accessing in vivo-derived embryos in large numbers at the early stages and the …

Throughout this chapter, we will express the embryonic development from fertilization,
commonly called conception, to the implantation. It is well documented that preimplantation …

Early embryo development following fertilization occurs in the oviduct. However, despite
being the site of fertilization in cattle, it is possible to by-pass the oviduct by producing …

Contents Early embryonic development, implantation and maintenance of a pregnancy are
critically dependent on an intact embryo‐maternal communication. So far, only few signals …

Ruminants have a unique placenta in comparison to other mammalian species. Initially, they
possess a non-invasive epitheliochorial type of placenta during conceptus elongation. As …

Bovine embryos are increasingly produced using reproductive technologies, eg ovum pick-
up (OPU), in vitro embryo production (IVP) and embryo transfer (ET). Such in vitro …

Typically, bovine embryos are transferred into recipient females about day 7 after estrus or
anticipated ovulation, when the embryo has reached the blastocyst stage of development …

During the interval between fertilization and the process of implantation, some form of
embryonic signalling is necessary for maternal recognition of pregnancy to occur and to …