Mechanism Contributing To Appropriate Formation Of The Spine Discovered
Thursday, June 19, 2008 - 15:28
in Biology & Nature
Scientists have shed light on the mechanism causing animals to develop the appropriate number of vertebrae. Vertebrae are formed from their embryonic precursors, called somites. The number of somites is consistent within a species, but varies significantly across species. By comparing the developing embryos of zebrafish, chicken, mice, and corn snakes, the team established an understanding of how an organism regulates the number of somites formed.