Metazoan oocyte and early embryo development program: a progression through translation regulatory cascades

摘要

All metazoans that reproduce sexually have the ability to form gametes. The two types of gametes, the egg and trie sperm, arise from germ cells, undergo extensive differentiation, and are destined to unite. The outcome of their union, the zygote, maintains and propagates the characteristics of the species. The zygote inherits from the egg not only genetic material but also its cytoplasm, which supports the development of the early embryo through precise expression patterns of maternally inherited messages. The hierarchical organization of these translation regulatory mechanisms is unveiled in the report by Padmanabhan and Richter (2006) in this issue of Genes &. Development