• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.94-102
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• 1990

In Xenopus laevis the cranial myotomes, W, X, Y and Z represent transient embry-specific structures since they undergo reduction" in the later stage of development. An extensive set of expertmental studies was undertaken in order to discriminate whether the cranial myotomes perform a programmed autonomous death or reduction" by the influence from surrounding tissue such as otic vesicle. Removal of the neighboring otic vesicle did not affect WXYZ degeneration. Grafting the otic vesicle to novel site along the somite file did not induce local myotome degenration. When anterior-most somitic primordia were relocated to the trunk somite region, they underwent reduction eventually. Likewise, with the transplantation of posterior somite forming region into the anterior, autonomous differentiation pafferns were observed. And the cullture of presumptive somitic tissue revealed that WXYZ might degnerate like in vivo. It is therefore concluded that the cranial myotomes of Xenopus laevis exhibit an autonomous cell death during later embryogenesis.yogenesis.