MOLECULAR-GENETICS OF ASYMMETRIC CLEAVAGE IN THE EARLY CAENORHABDITIS-ELEGANS EMBRYO

Asymmetric cleavage plays an important role in Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis. In addition to generating cellular diversity, several e arly asymmetric cleavages contribute to the spatial organization of th e embryo. Genetic and molecular analyses of several genes, including s ix par genes and the mex-1 and mes-1 genes, together with experimental embryological studies, have provided insights into mechanisms control ling polarity and spindle orientations during these cleavages. In part icular, these studies focus attention on microfilament-based motility and changing protein distributions at the cell cortex.