© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 117
F. Pelegri et al. (eds.), Vertebrate Development, Advances in Experimental
Medicine and Biology 953, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-46095-6_4
Chapter 4
Vertebrate Embryonic Cleavage Pattern
Determination
Andrew Hasley, Shawn Chavez, Michael Danilchik, Martin Wühr,
and Francisco Pelegri
Abstract The pattern of the earliest cell divisions in a vertebrate embryo lays the
groundwork for later developmental events such as gastrulation, organogenesis, and
overall body plan establishment. Understanding these early cleavage patterns and
the mechanisms that create them is thus crucial for the study of vertebrate develop-
ment. This chapter describes the early cleavage stages for species representing ray-
finned fish, amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals, and proto-vertebrate ascidians
and summarizes current understanding of the mechanisms that govern these pat-
terns. The nearly universal influence of cell shape on orientation and positioning of
spindles and cleavage furrows and the mechanisms that mediate this influence are
discussed. We discuss in particular models of aster and spindle centering and orien-
tation in large embryonic blastomeres that rely on asymmetric internal pulling
forces generated by the cleavage furrow for the previous cell cycle. Also explored
are mechanisms that integrate cell division given the limited supply of cellular
building blocks in the egg and several-fold changes of cell size during early devel-
opment, as well as cytoskeletal specializations specific to early blastomeres
A. Hasley • F. Pelegri (*)
Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin—Madison,
Genetics/Biotech Addition, Room 2424, 425-G Henry Mall, Madison, WI 53706, USA
e-mail: [email protected]
S. Chavez
Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research
Center, Department of Physiology & Pharmacology, Oregon Heath & Science University,
505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research
Center, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Oregon Heath & Science University,
505 NW 185th Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA
M. Danilchik
Department of Integrative Biosciences, L499, Oregon Health & Science University,
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA
M. Wühr
Department of Molecular Biology & The Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics,
Princeton University, Icahn Laboratory, Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA