Ausfall der Potenz zur Borstenbildung als „Erbmerkmal“ einer Zellkultur von Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The occurrence and the manifestation of a cell line is described which had suddenly and irreversibly lost the potency for forming bristles on any part of the adult cuticle after culturing in vivo over a period of more than one year. On the other hand, it is shown that the cells maintained the capacity for the differentiation of the region-specific ground pattern which consists of hairs and other cuticular structures and which characterize antennae, head parts, legs, wings and the thorax. The aristae are not affected by the change which initiated the bristle-less cell line. Thus it is concluded that the aristae are formations belonging to the ground pattern. A general developmental factor which is indispensible for and common to all bristles regard-less of their organspecific structure is postulated.