Establishment of the site of involution at novel locations on the amphibian embryo

Anuran (Rana) and urodele (Ambystoma) amphibian eggs were subjected to prolonged unnatural orientations in relation to gravity. In some cases eggs were rotated 90°, while in other instances eggs were rotated 180° (complete inversion). Alterations in the pigmentation pattern, cleavage pattern, and site of involution were observed. Despite these unnatural orientations to gravity, the morphogenesis of axial structures was frequently normal. Reorganization of the egg cytoplasm apparently takes place after the unnatural orientation. Rather than being localized in a fixed position in the egg (e.g., the egg cortex), the determinants for the pattern of early embryogenesis are probably located in that portion of the cytoplasm (e.g., "internal" cytoplasm) that orients to gravity.