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Possible Role of the Cytoplasm in the Course of Morphogenesis, Namely, in the Case of Twinning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2014

A. Giroud
A. Giroud*
Affiliation:
Membre de l'Académie de Médecine Française
*
7 rue Monticelli, Paris 14, France

Abstract

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A number of facts that cannot be interpreted in terms of nuclear genes would seem to be interpretable in terms of cytoplasmic heredity. The hereditary role of the mitochondria has already been demonstrated in molds. The role of the cytoplasm (matrilineal heredity) has also been shown in some phanerogams, and analogous facts have been noted in insects and molluscs. In amphibians, the influence of an alteration of the egg cortical cytoplasm has been shown to reappear in the following generations. This cortical cytoplasm includes the morphological plan of the organism with its bilateral symmetry: mirror imaging in monozygotic twins would only be an extension of bilateral symmetry. In Tatusia novemcincta the twins may be morphologically or chemically different, which may only be explained by an unequal subdivision of a heterogenic cytoplasm. Similar facts are observed in human twinning. Monozygotic twins are usually discordant with respect to congenital malformations (especially symmelia and anencephaly), which may only be interpreted in terms of unequal distribution of cytoplasmic properties.

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ

Nombre de faits ne peuvent s'interpréter par des gènes nucléaires, mais semblent au contraire pouvoir être interprétés par des propriétés héréditaires du cytoplasme.

Chez les moisissures on a bien établi le caractère héréditaire de certains organites, les mitochondries. Chez certaines phanérogames on a mis en évidence le rôle du cytoplasme au cours de certains croisements: hérédité matrocline. Des faits du même ordre ont été observés chez les invertébrés (insectes et mollusques).

Chez les batraciens, on a pu mettre en évidence que des altérations du cytoplasme cortical peuvent se manifester dans les générations successives. Ce cytoplasme cortical joue un rôle fondamental dans la morphogénèse; il contient à un moment donné le plan de tout l'organisme avec sa symétrie bilatérale. Sur cette base peut s'interpréter la disposition en miroir des jumeaux monozygotes qui ne serait qu'une extension de la symétrie bilatérale dans la gémellisation tardive.

Chez Tatusia novemcincta on a constaté que les jumeaux peuvent présenter des caractères morphologiques et chimiques différents, ce qui s'expliquerait par une distribution hétérogène du cytoplasme.

Dans la géméllité humaine on trouve des faits du même ordre. Dans le cas de malformations, les jumeaux homozygotes sont très généralement discordants. Ceci pourrait s'expliquer par les propriétés du cytoplasme différemment réparti entre les deux jumeaux.

Riassunto

RIASSUNTO

Fatti che non riescono interpretabili in termini di eredità genica nucleare sembrerebbero esserlo in termini di eredità citoplasmatica. Il ruolo ereditario di certi organuli citoplasmatici, i mitocondri, è già stato dimostrato nelle muffe; anche in alcune fanerogame si è potuto dimostrare un ruolo del citoplasma (eredità matroclina), e fatti analoghi sono stati riscontrati in insetti e molluschi. Negli anfibi, un'alterazione del citoplasma corticale è risultata ripresentarsi nelle generazioni successive. Questo citoplasma corticale contiene il piano morfologico dell'organismo con la sua simmetria bilaterale: la specularità dei gemelli monozigotici non sarebbe che un'estensione della simmetria bilaterale. In Tatusia novemcincta i gemelli possono essere morfologicamente o chimicamente diversi, il che può essere spiegato solo in termini di una suddivisione ineguale di un citoplasma eterogeneo. Fatti analoghi sono stati osservati nei gemelli umani. I gemelli monozigotici sono generalmente discordanti per alcune malformazioni congenite (particolarmente simmelia ed anencefalia), il che può essere interpretato solo in termini di una distribuzione ineguale delle proprietà citoplasmatiche.

Zusammenfassung

ZUSAMMENFASSUNG

Einige Tatsachen, die vom Standpunkt der Kerngenvererbung nicht zu deuten sind, lassen sich hingegen scheinbar vom Standpunkt der Zytoplasmavererbung erklären. Die Rolle gewisser Zytoplasma-Organuli, der Mitochondrien, bei der Vererbung wurde bereits bei den Schimmeln bewiesen. Auch bei einigen Samenpflanzen liess sich eine Rolle des Zytoplasmas feststellen (matrokline Vererbung) und auch bei Insekten und Weichtieren wurden ähnliche Beobachtungen gemacht. Bei den Amphibien zeigte sich in den folgenden Generationen eine Veränderung des Rindenzytoplasmas, das den morphologischen Plan des Organismus mit seiner bilateralen Symmetrie enthält. Die Spiegelbildlichkeit der eineiigen Zwillinge wäre demnach nur eine erweiterte bilaterale Symmetrie. Bei der Tatusia novemcincta können die Zwillinge morphologisch oder chemisch verschieden sein, was sich nur mit ungleicher Unterteilung eines heterogenen Zytoplasmas erklären lässt. Aehnliches wurde bei menschlichen Zwillingen beobachtet. EZ sind gewöhnlich in Bezug auf einige angeborene Missbildungen (insbesondere Symmyelie und Anenzephalie) diskordant, was man nur als Ausdruck einer ungleichen Verteilung der Zytoplasmaeigenschaften auslegen kann.

Type
Research Article
Information
Acta geneticae medicae et gemellologiae: twin research , Volume 24 , Issue 3-4 , 07-10 1975 , pp. 251 - 259
Copyright
Copyright © The International Society for Twin Studies 1975

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