MOTILITY OF DISSOCIATED EMBRYONIC CELLS IN XENOPUS LAEVIS: ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO MORPHOGENETIC MOVEMENTS *

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Abstract
Motilities of dissociated embryonic cells of Xenopus laevis were investigated in order to elucidate the role of cell motilities in gastrulation. Various shapes and motile forms of the cells were classified into six types, i.e., globular cells with large lobopodia, locomotive vermiform cells with a hyaline cap, globular cells with many bulbous processes, oval cells with filiform pseudopodia, flattened cells with membraneous processes or lamellipodia which attached to glass, and attached cells with hyaline lobopodia. Cells dissociated from the ectodermal region began to exhibit pseudopodial activity at stage 11, while isolated mesoderm cells did so at stage 10 1/2. The pseudopodial activity of cells from these two regions increased coincidently with gastrulation. Approximately 10% of the cells isolated from the dorsal part of the neurula transformed into vermiform cells. Cells dissociated from the endodermal region were less motile during gastrulation. Invaginating cells of the presumptive pharyngeal endoderm were also immotile, when they were isolated.