This protocol presents a method to perform quantitative, single-cell in situ analysis of protein expression to study lineage specification in mouse preimplantation embryos. The procedures necessary for collection of blastocysts, whole-mount immunofluorescent detection of proteins, imaging of samples on a confocal microscope, and nuclear segmentation and image analysis are described.
Saiz, N., Kang, M., Schrode, N., Lou, X., Hadjantonakis, A. Quantitative Analysis of Protein Expression to Study Lineage Specification in Mouse Preimplantation Embryos. J. Vis. Exp. (108), e53654, doi:10.3791/53654 (2016).