Int. J. Dev. Biol. 58: 429 - 443 (2014)

https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.140132dw

Vol 58, Issue 6-7-8

Special Issue: Spiralian Model Systems

Developmental biology of the leech Helobdella

Published: 15 January 2015

David A. Weisblat*^,1 and Dian-Han Kuo²

¹Dept. of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA and ²Dept. of Life Science, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.

Abstract

Glossiphoniid leeches of the genus Helobdella provide experimentally tractable models for studies in evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-Devo). Here, after a brief rationale, we will summarize our current understanding of Helobdella development and highlight the near term prospects for future investigations, with respect to the issues of: D quadrant specification; the transition from spiral to bilaterally symmetric cleavage; segmentation, and the connections between segmental and non-segmental tissues; modifications of BMP signaling in dorsoventral patterning and the O-P equivalence group; germ line specification and genome rearrangements. The goal of this contribution is to serve as a summary of, and guide to, published work.

Keywords

embryonic patterning, Helobdella, leech, Lophotrochozoa, spiralian