{
  "abstract": "{gamma}-tubulin is a core component of microtubule-organizing centers (MTOCs), which are traditionally known as intracellular. Here, we report previously unrecognized extracellular, intercellular, and extra-embryonic {gamma}-tubulin assemblies in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos in three distinct categories: the {gamma}-tubulin extracellular satellite ({gamma}-TES), {gamma}-tubulin intercellular bridge girdle ({gamma}-IBG), and {gamma}-tubulin nucleation center ({gamma}-TNC). {gamma}-TESs are punctate structures outside the plasma membrane of oocytes and pre-hatching embryos. {gamma}-IBGs are transient, ring-like structures that, together with F-actin, encircle nascent intercellular bridges, suggesting a previously unrecognized role for {gamma}-tubulin in early intercellular bridge formation. {gamma}-TNCs are large, dynamic extracellular assemblies that emerge after fertilization and undergo stage-specific spatial and morphological reorganization during cleavage and blastocyst development. Both {gamma}-TESs and {gamma}-TNCs disappear after embryo hatching. Furthermore, {gamma}-TNCs and {gamma}-IBGs may represent large and ring-like aggregates of {gamma}-TESs, respectively, suggesting that {gamma}-TESs may serve as a local {gamma}-tubulin reservoir for higher order formations. {gamma}-IBGs and {gamma}-TNCs also exhibit close spatial association with microtubules, which form a peri-embryonic web lining the edge of the embryo exterior from zygotes to morulae. Together, our findings reveal a non-canonical, extra-embryonic {gamma}-tubulin organization system that may coordinate an embryonic skeleton architecture across blastomeres for critical embryo-wide developmental events such as polyspermy prevention, polarity establishment, morula and blastocyst formation, and embryo hatching.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "University of Connecticut"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "R. Zhao"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. Liu"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Bakhtari"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "X. Tian"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fcbpjxvweez7x.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.22.761027",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761027v1.full",
  "id": "fcbpjxvweez7x",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761027v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "developmental biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1307|Microtubule and mitosis dynamics"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223570979",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761027v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-22",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fcbpjxvweez7x.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:29:35Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.22.761027",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.22.761027v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:developmental biology",
      "subfield": "developmental-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Novel extracellular, extra-embryonic and intercellular γ-tubulin assemblies in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos",
  "title_text": "Novel extracellular, extra-embryonic and intercellular γ-tubulin assemblies in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:29:35Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fcbpjxvweez7x",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}