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Morphogenesis inMicrasterias

III. The morphogenetic template

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Summary

The shape of the isthmus cross section in haploid clones of differentMicrasterias species is compared with the stability of these clones as to symmetry type. A correlation can be demonstrated between these two factors sufficient to suggest but not to prove that an initial radial asymmetry in isthmus shape could act to transmit information on symmetry from parent to daughter semicells thereby acting in part as a template for morphogenesis. The asymmetry in isthmus shape is best demonstrated inM. rotata where, rather than being round, the isthmus is compressed in cross section along the axis of the semicell wings. It is pointed out that this radial asymmetry could arise in living cells from the effect of turgor pressure on semicell walls having an isthmus cross section that is round in the relaxed condition.

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Author notes

  1. T. C. Lacalli

    Present address: Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, McGill University, Montreal, Canada

    T. C. Lacalli

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  1. T. C. Lacalli
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Additional information

This work was supported by the National Research Council of Canada and was carried out at the University of British Columbia. The account of the effect of internal pressure on semicell shape was kindly confirmed by R. C.Lacalli, an engineer with the Boeing Co. having experience with problems of structural deformation and stress.

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Lacalli, T.C. Morphogenesis inMicrasterias . Protoplasma 88, 133–146 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01283242

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