title: Axis determination in C. elegans: initiating and transducing polarity.
abstract: The anterior-posterior axis in Caenorhabditis elegans is determined by the sperm and leads to the asymmetric localisation of PAR (partitioning-defective) proteins, which are critical for polarity. New findings demonstrate that sperm asters play a critical role and suggest models for how PAR asymmetry is established. In addition, studies of blastomere fate determination and heterotrimeric G proteins have started to uncover how initial polarity may be translated into the asymmetric distribution of maternal proteins and the control of spindle position.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome/CRC Institute, Tennis Court Road, CB2 1QR, Cambridge, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahringer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015801:Helminth Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015801:Helminth Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins