School of Botany - Theses

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Investigations into the mechanisms of morphogenesis in Desmids

Berry, Andrew J. (University of Melbourne, 1994)

Whether a neuron in a mammalian brain or a guard cell from leaf stomata, the shape of a cell is often vital to its function. Yet morphogenesis, the 'creation of form', is one of the least understood phenomena in cell biology. In order to understand the processes behind morphogenesis, it is reasonable to select a simple organism in which to initiate an investigation. Once this system is understood, the knowledge and concepts may then be applied to other, more complex organisms. The potential of desmids, a group of freshwater green algae from the order Zygnematales (Fritsch 1935), for the study of morphogenesis was first recognised by Waris (1950). There are several reasons why the desmids are particularly well suited for investigation of morphogenesis: the cells are large, making them easy to observe and handle; the asexual lifecycle is predictable and can be completed in 3-8 days; they can be grown in simple inexpensive media; they are found all around the world; and, perhaps most importantly, they display elaborate symmetrical cell patterns which are reproduced every division.