Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Larval homologies and radical evolutionary changes in early development.

R A Raff1

  • 1Indiana Molecular Biology Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA.

Novartis Foundation Symposium
|May 20, 1999
PubMed
Summary

Evolutionary developmental biology reveals how early development can radically change while conserving larval forms. Closely related sea urchins show divergent embryonic pathways but converge on the adult body plan, highlighting developmental plasticity.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Progressive determination of cell fates along the dorsoventral axis in the sea urchin Heliocidaris erythrogramma.

Roux's archives of developmental biology : the official organ of the EDBO·2017
Same author

Experimental taphonomy of giant sulphur bacteria: implications for the interpretation of the embryo-like Ediacaran Doushantuo fossils.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2011
Same author

The evolution of developmental strategy in marine invertebrates.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011
Same author

The active evolutionary lives of echinoderm larvae.

Heredity·2006
Same author

Evolutionary convergence in Otx expression in the pentameral adult rudiment in direct-developing sea urchins.

Development genes and evolution·2003
Same author

The creationist abuse of evo-devo.

Evolution & development·2002

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary developmental biology
  • Comparative embryology
  • Marine invertebrate zoology

Background:

  • Larval forms are evolutionarily conserved and crucial for linking disparate phyla.
  • Early development can undergo radical evolutionary changes, obscuring homologies.
  • Identifying homologous embryonic cells and territories is key to analyzing evolutionary change.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how evolutionary changes in early development impact homology identification.
  • To analyze developmental mode differences in closely related sea urchins.
  • To understand the genetic and organizational basis of divergent developmental pathways.

Main Methods:

  • Comparative analysis of embryonic cell lineages and developmental patterns.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Examination of gene expression territories in direct-developing and indirect-developing sea urchins.
  • Investigating changes in egg organization and gene regulatory networks.

    • Main Results:

    • Closely related sea urchins with different developmental modes exhibit divergent embryonic cell lineages.
    • Despite pathway divergence, both species converge on the adult sea urchin body plan.
    • Conserved and uncertain gene expression territories were identified, suggesting complex evolutionary modifications.

    Conclusions:

    • Radical evolutionary changes in development can obscure homologies, even in closely related species.
    • Direct development in sea urchins arises from novel egg organization and altered gene expression.
    • Understanding developmental plasticity is crucial for interpreting evolutionary relationships based on embryonic features.