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Updated: Feb 7, 2026

Blastomere Explants to Test for Cell Fate Commitment During Embryonic Development
Published on: January 26, 2013
Dynamic interplay of cell fate, polarity and force generation in ascidian embryos
Hidehiko Hashimoto1, Edwin Munro2
1Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
Abstract:
A fundamental challenge in developmental biology is to understand how forces produced by individual cells are patterned in space and time and then integrated to produce stereotyped changes in tissue-level or embryo-level morphology. Ascidians offer a unique opportunity to address this challenge by studying how small groups of cells collectively execute complex, but highly stereotyped morphogenetic movements. Here we highlight recent progress and open questions in the study of ascidian morphogenesis, emphasizing the dynamic interplay of cell fate determination, cellular force generation and tissue-level mechanics.
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