Chapter 9 Chapter Outline

The Genetics of Axis Specification in Drosophila

Early Drosophila Development

  • Fertilization
  • Cleavage
  • The mid-blastula transition
  • Gastrulation

The Genetic Mechanisms Patterning the Drosophila Body

Segmentation and the Anterior-Posterior Body Plan

  • Maternal gradients: Polarity regulation by oocyte cytoplasm
  • The anterior organizing center: The Bicoid and Hunchback gradients
  • The terminal gene group
  • Summarizing early anterior-posterior axis specification in Drosophila

Segmentation Genes

  • Segments and parasegments
  • The gap genes
  • The pair-rule genes
  • The segment polarity genes

The Homeotic Selector Genes

Generating the Dorsal-Ventral Axis

  • Dorsal-ventral patterning in the oocyte
  • Generating the dorsal-ventral axis within the embryo

Axes and Organ Primordia: The Cartesian Coordinate Model 

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