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Asymmetric Localization and Distribution of Factors Determining Cell Fate During Early Development of Xenopus laevis

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Asymmetric Cell Division in Development, Differentiation and Cancer

Part of the book series: Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation ((RESULTS,volume 61))

Abstract

Asymmetric division is a property of eukaryotic cells that is fundamental to the formation of higher life forms. Despite its importance, the mechanism behind it remains elusive. Asymmetry in the cell is induced by polarization of cell fate determinants that become unevenly distributed among progeny cells. So far dozens of determinants have been identified. Xenopus laevis is an ideal system to study asymmetric cell division during early development, because of the huge size of its oocytes and early-stage blastomeres. Here, we present the current knowledge about localization and distribution of cell fate determinants along the three body axes: animal–vegetal, dorsal–ventral, and left–right. Uneven distribution of cell fate determinants during early development specifies the formation of the embryonic body plan.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by Ministry of Youth, Education and Sports of the Czech Republic AV0Z50520701 and grant LH15074; BIOCEV CZ.1.05/1.1.00/02.0109 from the ERDF and by the Czech Science Foundation GA CR—GA16-07500S.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Gene Expression, Institute of Biotechnology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic–Biocev, Prumyslova 595, 252 50, Vestec, Czech Republic

    Radek Sindelka, Monika Sidova, Pavel Abaffy & Mikael Kubista

  2. TATAA Biocenter AB, Odinsgatan 28, 411 03, Göteborg, Sweden

    Mikael Kubista

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  1. Radek Sindelka
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  2. Monika Sidova
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  3. Pavel Abaffy
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  4. Mikael Kubista
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Correspondence to Mikael Kubista .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. IGDR, UMR 6290, CNRS, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France

    Jean-Pierre Tassan

  2. Inst of Genetics & Dev of Rennes IG, CNRS/Unive Rennes 1 UMR 6290, Rennes Cedex, France

    Jacek Z. Kubiak

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Sindelka, R., Sidova, M., Abaffy, P., Kubista, M. (2017). Asymmetric Localization and Distribution of Factors Determining Cell Fate During Early Development of Xenopus laevis . In: Tassan, JP., Kubiak, J. (eds) Asymmetric Cell Division in Development, Differentiation and Cancer. Results and Problems in Cell Differentiation, vol 61. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53150-2_10

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