Cell contraction drives the initial shaping of human embryos, study finds

Human embryo compaction, an essential step in the first days of an embryo's development, is driven by the contractility of its cells. This is the finding of a team of scientists from CNRS, Institut Curie, Inserm, AP-HP and the Collège de France. Published in the journal Nature, these results contradict the presupposed driving role of cell adhesion in this phenomenon and pave the way for improved assisted reproductive technology (ART).