MadSci Network: Development
Query:

Re: What differences do animals and plants show during germ line development?

Date: Wed Dec 26 13:58:16 2001
Posted By: Joseph E. Armstrong, Faculty, Botany, Illinois State University
Area of science: Development
ID: 1008866496.Dv
Message:

Here's the basic answer.  Animals have determinate development meaning the 
fate of cells is determined while an embryo.  Plants have indeterminate 
development meaning that meristems produce new tissues and organs 
throughout the life of the plant.  

Somatic or body cells constitute all the non-reproductive portions of an 
organism.  Germ cells are involved in reproduction and only the genes in 
these cells have the potential to be passed on to the next generation 
during sexual reproduction.  In animals embryonic cells destined to become 
germ cell tissue are determined early in embryo development.  After that 
somatic cells have no genetic contribution to germ cells.  A mutation, a 
miscopied or rearranged portion of the genetic information, in a somatic 
cell of an animal will not be passed on to offspring.  However, anything 
that genetically damages the germ tissue would result in many errors being 
inherited by offspring.  

In plants meristematic cells become germ cells, in this case, sporangial 
tissue, each time the plant has a reproductive growth phase. Mutations in 
plant meristematic cells can end up in germ cells each time growth 
produces new reproductive structures.  




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