Cytoplasmic Rearrangement

Following fertilization in amphibian embryos, there is movement of the cortical cytoplasm with respect to the inner cytoplasm. There is also a rearrangement of inner egg cytoplasm. This shifting of cytoplasm moves morphogenetic determinants to certain areas of the embryo that will be important later in establishing the future dorsal-ventral axis during development.

I. Mature Egg

II. Fertilized Zygote

(courtesy of Dr. J. Hardin, Univ. of Wisconsin)