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Mechanisms of germ cell specification across the metazoans: epigenesis and preformation

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Extavour, Cassandra G., Akam, Michael·2003·Development
DOI 10.1242/dev.00804
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Abstract

Germ cells play a unique role in gamete production, heredity and evolution. Therefore, to understand the mechanisms that specify germ cells is a central challenge in developmental and evolutionary biology. Data from model organisms show that germ cells can be specified either by maternally inherited determinants (preformation) or by inductive signals (epigenesis). Here we review existing data on 28 metazoan phyla, which indicate that although preformation is seen in most model organisms, it is actually the less prevalent mode of germ cell specification, and that epigenetic germ cell specification may be ancestral to the Metazoa.

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Metadata

Authors
Extavour, C. G., & Akam, M.
Venue
Development
Publisher
The Company of Biologists
Published
2003-12-15
Volume
130
Issue
24
Pages
5869-5884
ISSN
  • 0950-1991 (ISSN-L)
  • 1477-9129
DOI
10.1242/dev.00804
OpenAlex
W2138292740
Cited by
782
References
3
FWCI
5.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
green

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