Developmental Mechanisms Problem Set

Problem 10:

During Caenorhabdidis elegans development, what developmental signal(s) are primarily responsible for determining if six cells on the animal's ventral surface become primary vulval precursor, secondary vulval precursor, or epidermis?

The primary signal is an inducer produced by the "anchor" cell that activates a gene whose products determine that cells will develop as vulval precursors or epidermal cells. The cells closest to the anchor cell receive the most inducer and become primary vulval precursors. The primary precursors then produce a second inducer, which acts on neighboring cells, directing them to become secondary vulval precursors. (See Figure 17.22 in the text).

The Biology Project
The University of Arizona
Thursday, October 30, 1997
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