If a mutation happens when an embryo is young, say eight or 16 cells, then all of the descendants of the mutated cell

Question: If a mutation happens when an embryo is young, say eight or 16 cells, then all of the descendants of the mutated cell will inherit the mutation. Is this right?
- Keywords:
  cell,
  embryo,
  inherit,
  mutation
Asked by Ayse to Tristan, Sophie, Ravinder, Matt, Barbara on 7 Mar 2015.
- Barbara Shih answered on 7 Mar 2015:
  
  That’s correct. It’s known as mosaicism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic_%28genetics%29). Apparently it’s reported to be present in as high as 70% of cleavage stage embryos and 90% of blastocyst-stage embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF).
- Tristan Smith answered on 9 Mar 2015:
  
  Yes, if the mutation becomes fixed and the cell survives than all the cells that develop from it will keep the mutation. However, our cells are very good at fixing mutations, and even in the very early stages, an embryo can recognise a ‘bad’ cell and ‘kill’ it off so it doesn’t hang around and become part of the person.
- Matthew Moore answered on 13 Mar 2015:
  
  Unless it killed the cell then yes! This is the process by which a leopard gets its spots.

Question: If a mutation happens when an embryo is young, say eight or 16 cells, then all of the descendants of the mutated cell will inherit the mutation. Is this right?