The T‐box gene family, encoding related DNA‐binding transcriptional regulators, plays an
essential role in controlling many aspects of embryogenesis in a wide variety of organisms …

All metazoans that reproduce sexually have the ability to form gametes. Both types of
gametes, the egg and the sperm, arise from germ cells, undergo a unique program of …

The anterior–posterior axis of Drosophila is established before fertilisation when the oocyte
becomes polarised to direct the localisation of bicoid and oskar mRNAs to opposite poles of …

Chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) localize β-actin mRNA to their lamellae, a process
important for the maintenance of cell polarity and motility. The localization of β-actin mRNA …

Localization of RNA is a widespread and efficient way to target gene products to a specific
region of a cell or embryo. This strategy of posttranscriptional gene regulation utilizes a …

The Balbiani body is an evolutionarily conserved asymmetric aggregate of organelles that is
present in early oocytes of all animals examined, including humans. Although first identified …

Xdazl is an RNA component of Xenopus germ plasm and encodes an RNA-binding protein
that can act as a functional homologue of Drosophila boule. boule is required for entry into …

Maternal factors control development prior to the activation of the embryonic genome. In
vertebrates, little is known about the molecular mechanisms by which maternal factors …

All processes that occur before the activation of the zygotic genome at the midblastula
transition are driven by maternal products, which are produced during oogenesis and stored …

RNA molecules and proteins are accumulated in the oocyte cytoplasm during its growth
phase and are used to sustain the early phases of embryonic development before embryo …