Figures
Identifying Planarian Receptors Required for Germ Cell Maturation
This study by Saberi et al. reveals over 550 G protein-coupled receptors in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, including two with critical roles in germline development. The image presents planarian testis lobules composed of a pool of germline stem cells (orange) and spermatogonial cells (blue) on the periphery, giving rise to differentiating gametes in the middle. A population of somatic gonadal cells supports and regulates germ cells throughout differentiation. These cells express a novel chemoreceptor family member, ophis (magenta), which is essential for germ cell maturation.
Image Credit: Amir Saberi
Citation: (2016) PLoS Biology Issue Image | Vol. 14(5) May 2016. PLoS Biol 14(5): ev14.i05. https://doi.org/10.1371/image.pbio.v14.i05
Published: May 31, 2016
Copyright: © 2016 Saberi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
This study by Saberi et al. reveals over 550 G protein-coupled receptors in the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, including two with critical roles in germline development. The image presents planarian testis lobules composed of a pool of germline stem cells (orange) and spermatogonial cells (blue) on the periphery, giving rise to differentiating gametes in the middle. A population of somatic gonadal cells supports and regulates germ cells throughout differentiation. These cells express a novel chemoreceptor family member, ophis (magenta), which is essential for germ cell maturation.
Image Credit: Amir Saberi