Asymmetrical cell division in Blepharisma japonicum: difference between daughter cells in mating-type expression.
In cell division of high-frequency-selfers in the ciliate Blepharisma japonicum, daughter cells are different in mating-type expression. The anterior daughter cell is mating type I. The posterior daughter cell is mating type II at first and then changes to mating type I after about 24 h. The anteroposterior polarity of predivision cells appears to correlate with the asymmetrical cell division. This work introduces a unicellular organism about the size of microscopic metazoa as a model system for the study of asymmetrical cell division, which is particularly important in developmental processes.
Miyake
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Department of Cell Biology, University of Camerino, Italy.
Harumoto
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D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic / Q000502:physiology*