- One important difference in the development of protostomes and deuterostomes is the

pattern of cleavage. In many protostomes, the early cell divisions are diagonal to the polar
axis, resulting in a somewhat spiral arrangement of cells; any one cell lies between the two
cells above or below it. The pattern of division is known as spiral cleavage. In radial
cleavage, characteristic of the deuterostomes, the early divisions are either parallel or at
right angles to the polar axis.

- In the protostomes, the developmental fate of each embryonic cell is typically fixed very
early. For example, if the first four cells of an annelid embryo are separated, each cell
develops into only a fixed quarter of the larvae; this is called determinate cleavage.
In contrast, deuterostomes usually undergo indeterminate cleavage. For example, if the first
4 cells of a sea star embryo are separated, each cell can form complete, though small,
larvae.

- Another important difference between protostomes and deuterostomes is the manner in

which the coelom forms. In most protostomes, the mesoderm splits, and the split widens into
a cavity that forms the coelom. This is called schizocoely. In deuterostomes, the mesoderm
forms as "outpocketings" of the developing gut, a process called enterocoely.

- During gastrulation, a group of cells moves inward, forming a sac that becomes the
embryonic gut. The opening outside is called the blastopore.In protostomes this develops
into the mouth, while in deuterostomes it develops into the anus.