Cell fate determination and Hippo signaling pathway in preimplantation mouse embryo

First cell fate determination plays crucial roles in cell specification during early phases of embryonic development. Three classical concepts have been proposed to explain the lineage specification mechanism of the preimplantation embryo: inside-outside, pre-patterning, and polarity models. Transcriptional effectors of the Hippo signal pathway are YAP and TAZ activators that can create a shuttle between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Despite different localizations of YAP in the cell, it determines the fate of ICM and TE. How the decisive cue driving factors that determine YAP localization are coordinated remains a central unanswered question. How can an embryonic cell find its position? The objective of this review is to summarize the molecular and mechanical aspects in cell fate decision during mouse preimplantation embryonic development. The findings will reveal the relationship between cell–cell adhesion, cell polarity, and determination of cell fate during early embryonic development in mice and elucidate the inducing/inhibiting mechanisms that are involved in cell specification following zygotic genome activation and compaction processes. With future studies, new biophysical and chemical cues in the cell fate determination will impart significant spatiotemporal effects on early embryonic development. The achieved knowledge will provide important information to the development of new approaches to be used in infertility treatment and increase the success of pregnancy.