Single-cell analysis of preimplantation embryonic development in guinea pigs

Guinea pigs exhibit numerous physiological similarities to humans, yet the details of their preimplantation embryonic development remain largely unexplored. To address this, we conducted single-cell sequencing on the transcriptomes of cells isolated from the zygote stage through preimplantation stages in guinea pigs. This study identified seven distinct cell types within guinea pig preimplantation embryos and pinpointed the timing of zygotic gene activation (ZGA). Trajectory analysis revealed a bifurcation into two lineage-specific branches, accompanied by alterations in specific pathways, including oxidative phosphorylation and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, co-expressed gene network analysis highlighted the most enriched functional modules for the epiblast (EPI), primitive endoderm (PrE), and inner cell mass (ICM). Finally, we compared the similarities and differences between human and guinea pig epiblasts (EPIs). This study systematically constructs a cell atlas of guinea pig preimplantation embryonic development, offering fresh insights into mammalian embryonic development and providing alternative experimental models for studying human embryonic development.