The role of the egg cortex in cephalopod development

Abstract

By the use of ligation and microbeam irradiation it has been possible to demonstrate the presence of a morphogenetic pattern of developmental information in the egg cortex of the cephalopod embryo. Centrifugation experiments and the normal ooplasmic segregation associated with blastodisc formation have suggested this to be independent of the position of the cytoplasm in cleavage of the early embryo. The relationship of this informational pattern and that of the yolk epithelium is briefly discussed. Speculation is offered as to the possible origin and type of this developmental information.