EMBRYONIC POLARITY AND THE SOMA-GERMLINE DICHOTOMY

Multicellular organisms consist of two general cell types: somatic cells which form the individual body, and germ cells which serve for reproduction. Because the germline is the only lineage to contribute its genetic material to the next generation, it is often referred to as an immortal and totipotent lineage, capable of "outliving" its somatic host and regenerating an entire organism. These characteristics are essential for reproduction and species survival, yet the molecular mechanisms that distinguish germ cells from somatic cells during embryonic development are still largely unknown. My laboratory is using genetic and molecular approaches to characterize these mechanisms in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.