A decreased number of primordial germ cells and the small numbers and reduced sizes of germinal granules in the periodic albino mutant of Xenopus laevis.

Abstract excerpt

Light and electron microscopy were used to examine the cause of the small number of primordial germ cells (PGCs) that were unexpectedly found in periodic albino (a(p)/a(p)) tadpoles of Xenopus laevis. The observations revealed that the volumes of germ plasm were not significantly different between a(p)/a(p) and wild-type eggs and that the germ plasm of ap/ap eggs contained a smaller number of germinal granules...

Topics

• Albinism
• Animals
• Cell Count
• Embryo, Nonmammalian
• Female
• Germ Cells
• Microscopy, Electron
• Mutation
• Xenopus laevis