Question

Does anyone know the difference between morphogenesis and reorganisation (and specifically, how both terms apply to protists)?

Answer 1

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1016/S0248-4900(98)80306-7/pdf

Answer 2

Thanks, but I don't think that's quite what I'm looking for... I know that morphogenesis has something to do with the development of a cell's form (or a change of form, I think), but I'm not clear on how precisely it differs from reorganisation. One example of reorganisation that I found was the re-absorption/rebuilding of the cell mouth to make it bigger or smaller, but I've seen stomatogenesis given as an example of morphogenesis too...

Answer 3

The major difference in my opinion is that morphogenesis involved the divison, growth of new features of the cell, such as DNA, proteins, cytoplasms from basic inorganic and organic material. In terms of protists this would encompass asexual reproduction, cell growth and cell divsion as forms of morphogensis (literally meaning beggning/creation of shape).

When it comes to reorganization, this term most likely indicates the reorganization of already existing components of the cell/protist. So the major difference here is that reorganization does not involve growth, reproduction or the generation of new cellular components. For example an reorganization event can take place when the protist cell moves from one location to another, it needs to move its cytoplasm around. Another example is the movement of molecular machinery such as ribosomes and transcription factors in a different location within the protist. Another example would be the protist is physically ingesting food so that its size increases or its organelles reorganize to make room for large amounts of food.

Answer 4

Hm, but my book specifically mentions growing a bigger/smaller mouth as an example of reorganisation. I'm also not sure what category normal ciliate cell growth (which requires an increase in the number of cilia and all components associated with them) would fall into.

Answer 5

The case you mentioned for the stomatogensis as a form of marcomolecular reorganization, not to be confused with cellular division where one cell divides to produce two daughter cells. This reorganization event is simply the aggregation of already existing cells together to form a larger structure in this case a stomate.

An example of stomatogensis from a morphogensis perspective would be a single cell or a set of cells that divides and reproduces in to more cells in order to form a stomate like structure. The latter event is more likely in the formation of new stomates and the former is more likely when existing stomates are to be modified. (enlarge or close the openings)

Answer 6

Ok, that makes sense. So would the more extreme morphological changes in e.g. Plasmodium be an example of morphogenesis, or is there yet another term for that sort of thing?

Answer 7

there is no simple answer, depending on the species of organisms and their reproductive/ cell reorganization nature, both cases can be right.

But what I can tell you is that usually larger and more complex structures often involves reorganization processes instead of morphogensis, because it is much easier to put together a bunch of ready made smaller parts (proteins, cells etc) into a larger part instead of starting from scratch and building it up from a single cell. This is the case of ciliogensis (creation of cilia on cell surfaces), yes this term is confusing because its actually an reorganization of already existing cells to form a cilium instead of getting one cell to divide into a cilium because of the term genesis.

Answer 8

But... every time a cell divides, it has to create new cilia, right? And it also has to create new cilia when it grows bigger but does not divide.

Answer 9

Right but both cases of growing/formation of the new cilia are forms of cellular reorganization. But the creation of the components that make up the cilia, eg proteins, cells are derived from morphogensis.

Answer 10

Ok, thanks :)

Answer 11

Glad to help, anytime! (: