BLASTULATION

The development of blastula is called blastulation. It is produced by cleavage of a

fertilized ovum and consists of a spherical layer cells surrounding a central fluid-filled
cavity called the blastocoel.

BLASTULATION IN AMPHIOXUS
Amphioxus is also called Lancelet, are members of the invertebrate subphylum
Cephalochordata found widely in the coastal waters of the warmer parts of the world .
Cleavage occurs synchronous through 7 divisions, results in the formation of
blastula. Amphioxus have a simple, hollow blastula with a single-layered wall called
coeloblastula.
The smaller cells, micromeres, make up the animal hemisphere and will
eventually form the ectoderm the larger cells, macromeres, will form both endoderm and
mesoderm. In the Blastula stage there is a clear distinction between the animal and
vegetal hemispheres The larger cells that make up the vegetal hemisphere will invaginate
(turn in) and form the endoderm. The invaginated endoderm and mesoderm fill the
blastocoel in this stage called the Gastrula stage.

Fig. Blastulation in amphioxus

BLASTULATION IN AMPHIBIANS
In amphibians the cleavage is holoblastic and unequal. The blastulation is as
follows.
1. The first cleavage plane is meridional, starts at the animal pole and ends at the vegetal
pole
2. The second cleavage furrow is again meridional but right angle to first cleavage.
3. The next stage is latitudinal above the horizontal furrow nearer to the animal pole due
to the influence of yolk in the vegetal pole. This results in the formation of eight
blastomeres. Four in vegetal pole which are large called as macromeres and four at the
vegetal pole called micromeres.
4. The fourth set of cleavage planes are meridional and holoblastic. These cleavages
result in the production of 16 blastomeres.
5. As a result of further cleavages, a ball of several small blastomeres result.
The blastomeres above the equator are micromeres, the blastomeres of the vegetal
are macromeres. At the final stages of cleavage the embryo acquires a characteristic,

Dr.C.V.Narasimha Murthy, JBDC, KAVALI, B.Sc., Zoology Notes 2010.

mild, oblong shape. In this stage it is called the morula. The morula initially contains a
shallow cavity called the blastocoel.

Dr.C.V.Narasimha Murthy, JBDC, KAVALI, B.Sc., Zoology Notes 2010.