title: A decreased number of primordial germ cells and the small numbers and reduced sizes of germinal granules in the periodic albino mutant of Xenopus laevis.
abstract: Light and electron microscopy were used to examine the cause of the small number of primordial germ cells (PGCs) that were unexpectedly found in periodic albino (a(p)/a(p)) tadpoles of Xenopus laevis. The observations revealed that the volumes of germ plasm were not significantly different between a(p)/a(p) and wild-type eggs and that the germ plasm of ap/ap eggs contained a smaller number of germinal granules than are present in wild-type eggs and the granules were also smaller than in the wild-type eggs. It was concluded that the number of PGCs might be primarily determined by the number and size of germinal granules.
authors.affiliation: Department of Natural Science, Osaka Women's University, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotani
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ikenishi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Torii
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amemiya
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kadowaki
mesh_terms: D000417:Albinism / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009154:Mutation; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*