Cell Differentiation: The Search For The Organizer (1984)

In early spring, salamanders engage in courtship and mating, leading to the female laying fertilized eggs in a leaf cradle underwater. The development of salamander embryos parallels that of human embryos, providing insights into biological processes common to all animals. As the embryos grow, they undergo cell division, forming a blastula and differentiating into specialized cells that will develop into various tissues and organs. Experiments by embryologists, including Hans Spemann and Walter Folk, reveal how cells differentiate and how certain regions of an embryo can influence the development of other regions. Spemann’s work demonstrated that the dorsal lip of the blastopore acts as an organizer, inducing differentiation in surrounding cells. His groundbreaking research earned him a Nobel Prize in 1935.

**Keywords:** salamanders, courtship, mating, fertilized eggs, embryos, cell division, blastula, differentiation, tissues, organs, embryologists, Hans Spemann, Walter Folk, organizer, Nobel Prize.

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