Germ plasm in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and Xenopus
Open Access
- 1 February 1998
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Wiley in Development, Growth & Differentiation
- Vol. 40 (1), 1-10
- https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1440-169x.1998.t01-4-00001.x
Abstract
Special cytoplasm, called germ plasm, that is essential for the differentiation of germ cells is localized in a particular region of Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and Xenopus eggs. The mode of founder cell formation of germline, the origin and behavior of the germline granules, and the molecules localized in germline cells are compared in these organisms. The common characteristics of the organisms are mainly as follows. First, the founder cells of germline are established before the intiation of gastrulation. Second, the germline granules or their derivatives are always present in germline cells or germ cells throughout the life cycle in embryos, larvae, and adults. Lastly, among the proteins localized in the germ plasm, only Vasa protein or its homolog is detected in the germline cells or germ cells throughout the life cycle. As the protein of vasa homolog has been reported to be also localized in the germline‐specific structure or nuage in some of the organisms without the germ plasm, the possibility that the mechanism for differentiation of primordial germ cells is basically common in all organisms with or without the germ plasm is discussed.Keywords
This publication has 74 references indexed in Scilit:
- Requirement for a Noncoding RNA in Drosophila Polar Granules for Germ Cell EstablishmentScience, 1996
- Cloning of a Gene of the Dead Box Protein Family Which Is Specifically Expressed in Germ Cells in RatsBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1995
- Mutations in the par genes of Caenorhabditis elegans affect cytoplasmic reorganization during the first cell cycleDevelopmental Biology, 1990
- Transcripts of one of two Drosophila cyclin genes become localized in pole cells during embryogenesisNature, 1989
- The mitochondrial cloud of Xenopus oocytes: The source of germinal granule materialDevelopmental Biology, 1984
- Ultraviolet effects on presumptive primordial germ cells (pPGCs) in Xenopus laevis after the cleavage stageDevelopmental Biology, 1979
- The cellular anatomy of embryos of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: Analysis and reconstruction of serial section electron micrographsDevelopmental Biology, 1978
- Scanning electron microscopy of Drosophila embryogenesisDevelopmental Biology, 1976
- Ultrastructural changes associated with UV irradiation in the “germinal plasm” of Xenopus laevisDevelopmental Biology, 1974
- The role of a “germinal plasm” in the formation of primordial germ cells in Rana pipiensDevelopmental Biology, 1966