Development of multicellular organism

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SUMMARY

The development of multicellular organisms, as discussed in the forum, highlights key processes such as asymmetric cell division and lateral inhibition, particularly in the nematode worm C. elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila. C. elegans features 1031 somatic cells and ~1000 germline cells in hermaphrodites, with the sperm entry point determining the posterior pole. The HOX complex plays a crucial role in gene expression, while the mechanosensory bristle in Drosophila illustrates how multiple cell types can arise from a single precursor cell. The discussion also touches on the significance of introns and exons in gene coding and alternative splicing, emphasizing their role in pleiotropy and genetic efficiency.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of asymmetric cell division in multicellular organisms
  • Familiarity with the HOX gene complex and its role in development
  • Knowledge of introns and exons in genetic coding
  • Basic concepts of lateral inhibition in cell differentiation
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mechanisms of asymmetric cell division in C. elegans
  • Explore the role of the HOX gene complex in developmental biology
  • Investigate alternative splicing and its implications for gene expression
  • Study the evolutionary significance of pleiotropy in multicellular organisms
USEFUL FOR

Biologists, geneticists, and students interested in developmental biology, particularly those focusing on multicellular organism development and genetic mechanisms.

  • #31
btw, that exerpt came from Alberts et al, Molecular biology of the cell.
 
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  • #32
Originally poste by Monique (Phonetic engineer?)
(SNIP) Also very interesting, there are ALWAYS 131 cells that commit suicide of the 1030 somatic cells in the worm. (SNoP)
That is kinda interesting.
In my viewing of television I had also seen someone playout the sequence of someones DNA on a piano..."phonetics engineering" anyone? (It's sort of just a thought...)
 
  • #33
Well, isn't that interesting? I am not sure where that comment came from, but anyway: I'd wonder how long it would take to play the sequence of ACGTs and where the T lies on the piano, how the person dealt with methylated bases, mis-matched bases, dimerized thymines, depurinations, missing nucleotides and the boring long stretches of GC islands.
 
  • #34
Originally posted by Monique
Well, isn't that interesting? I am not sure where that comment came from, but anyway: I'd wonder how long it would take to play the sequence of ACGTs and where the T lies on the piano, how the person dealt with methylated bases, mis-matched bases, dimerized thymines, depurinations, missing nucleotides and the boring long stretches of GC islands.
"Selective quotation"...I would suppose...
 
  • #35
Originally posted by Monique

Also very interesting, there are ALWAYS 131 cells that commit suicide of the 1030 somatic cells in the worm.

not always just 131, but always THE SAME 131!
 
  • #36
Originally posted by cryo
not always just 131, but always THE SAME 131!
Cheese, you make it sound difficult to understand, needed the 131 to construct itself, and didn't need them thereafter, soooo in a VERY energy efficient manner, it eliminated that which it no longer had use for. After all, why keep cells, that are no longer of any use, FED!
 
  • #37
But if I understand the processes of evolution, an organism can't "eliminate" cells just because there is no more use for them. There has to be an adaptive gradient for them to go. Some reason that organisms without them leave more viable descendents than those with them.
 
  • #38
Originally posted by selfAdjoint
But if I understand the processes of evolution, an organism can't "eliminate" cells just because there is no more use for them. Why Not?[/color] There has to be an adaptive gradient for them to go. Yes, less energy! not having to feed them[/color] Some reason that organisms without them leave more viable descendents than those with them. Construction (team) of a self replicating organism as to be able to leave the viable descendents[/color]
Simply a structural mechanism, like having carpenters build you a house, then they leave, in this case, the cells, they die.

Think about it, life was given, cells died, just so you could be formed, and live.
 

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