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Molecular Reproduction & Development Volume 80, Issue 8, August 2013 cover image
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
molecular reproduction and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.745
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1098-2795
pISSN - 1040-452X
DOI - 10.1002/mrd.22096
Subject(s) - germ plasm , biology , somatic cell , endoderm , germ cell , xenopus , embryo , microbiology and biotechnology , germ line development , blastomere , cell fate determination , germ , polarity in embryogenesis , lineage (genetic) , reproduction , embryonic stem cell , genetics , evolutionary biology , embryogenesis , gastrulation , gene , transcription factor
Xenopus blastomeres that inherit germ plasm will enter the germ cell lineage, while the other surrounding cells will become somatic endoderm. At the 32‐cell stage, germ plasm has coalesced at the embryonic vegetal pole and can be observed without staining (central embryo). Lai and King (this issue) review how Pumilio and Nanos translationally repress the somatic determinants found in germ plasm and preserve germ cell fate.