Abstract
A hundred years have passed since Driesch performed the classical experiment of separating sea urchin blastomeres from a two-cell-stage embryo, finding that each developed into a complete though smaller larva. The earlier studies of Roux using frogs showed that inactivating one of the two blastomeres by a heated needle resulted, during the early stages of development, in the formation of a half embryo. In this type of experiment, in which the two blastomeres are not separated, the live blastomere continues its development while it is still attached to an inactivated neighbour. In the work reported here, Roux's experimental design was used on two-cell-stage embryos of sea urchins. In contrast to the findings of Roux using amphibians, it was found (as claimed by Driesch) that the living blastomere developed as in the case of separated blastomeres.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Dale B, Santis A, Ortolani G, Rasotto M, Santella L (1982) Electrical coupling of blastomeres in early embryos of ascidians and sea urchins. Exp Cell Res 140:457–461
Driesch H (1892) The potency of the first two cleavage cells in echinoderm development. Experimental production of partial and double formation (reprinted translation). In: Willier BH, Oppenheimer JM (eds) Foundations of experimental embryology, part 2. Hafner, New York, pp 39–50
Gilbert SF (1991) Developmental biology. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland
Henry JJ, Amemiya S, Wray GA, Raff RA (1989) Early inductive interactions are involved in restricting cell fates in mesomeres in sea urchin embryos. Dev Biol 136:140–153
Hörstadius S (1973) Experimental embryology of echinoderms. Clarendon Press, Oxford
Khaner O, Wilt F (1990) The influence of cell interactions and tissue mass on the differentiation of the sea urchin mesomeres. Development 109:625–634
Khaner O, Wilt F (1991) Interactions of different vegetal cells with the mesomeres during early stages of sea urchin development. Development 112:881–890
McMahon AD, Flytzanis CN, Hough-Evans BR, Katula KS, Britten RJ, Davidson EH (1985) Introduction of cloned DNA into sea urchin egg cytoplasm: Replication and persistence during embryogenesis. Dev Biol 108:420–430
Olsnes S (1978) Ricin and ricinus agglutinin, toxic lectins from castor bean. Methods Enzymol 50:330–335
Roux W (1888) Contributions of the developmental mechanics of the embryo. On the artificial production of half-embryos by destruction of one of the first two blastomeres and the later development (postgeneration) of the missing half of the body (reprinted translation). In: Willier BH, Oppenheimer JM (eds) Foundation of experimental embryology, part 1. Hafner, New York, pp 2–37
Sander K (1992) “Mosaic work” and “Assimilating effects” in embryogenesis: Wilhelm Roux's conclusions after disabling frog blastomeres. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 201:237–239
Turner RS (1987) Cell-cell associations in Echinoderm embryos. In: Greenberg AH (eds) Invertebrate models: Cell receptors and cell communication. Karger, New York, pp 143–171
Wilson EB (1925) The cell in development and heredity. Chapter XIV, development and heredity. Reprinter 1987 by Garland Publishing, New York London, pp 1035–1118
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Khaner, O. The potency of the first two cleavage cells in echinoderm development: the experiments of Driesch revisited. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 202, 193–197 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02427879
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02427879