What is the Difference Between Holoblastic and Meroblastic Cleavage?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Holoblastic and meroblastic cleavage are patterns of cell division that occur after an egg is fertilized during early embryonic development. The main differences between these two types of cleavage are:
- Division: Holoblastic cleavage involves the complete division of the entire cell into smaller cells or blastomeres, while meroblastic cleavage involves the partial division of the cell, leading to an indentation but not a complete division.
- Mitosis: Holoblastic cleavage does not involve mitosis, while mitosis takes place during meroblastic cleavage.
- Amount of Yolk in the Egg: Eggs that undergo holoblastic cleavage typically have a smaller amount of yolk, while eggs that undergo meroblastic cleavage have a larger amount of yolk.
- Examples: Most deuterostomes and protostomes, such as amphibians, mammals, echinoderms, annelids, flatworms, and nematodes, show holoblastic cleavage. In contrast, monotremes, avians, and reptiles show meroblastic cleavage.
In summary, holoblastic cleavage is characterized by complete cell division without mitosis and is typically found in eggs with a smaller amount of yolk, while meroblastic cleavage is characterized by partial cell division with mitosis and is typically found in eggs with a larger amount of yolk.
Comparative Table: Holoblastic vs Meroblastic Cleavage
Here is a table comparing holoblastic and meroblastic cleavage:
Feature | Holoblastic Cleavage | Meroblastic Cleavage |
---|---|---|
Definition | Entire embryonic cell cleavage | Partial embryonic cell cleavage |
Mitosis | No mitosis occurs | Mitosis takes place |
Yolk Amount | Smaller amount of yolk in the egg | Larger amount of yolk in the egg |
Type of Cell | Isolecithal or mesolecithal egg | Fertilized egg with a relatively larger amount of yolk |
Cleavage Furrow | Penetrates the egg completely | Does not completely penetrate the egg |
Types of Cleavage | Radial, bilateral, spiral, rotational | Discoidal and superficial |
Patterns | Equal and unequal division of cells | Equal and unequal division of cells |
Result | Asymmetrical blastula with cells of equal size | Blastoderm is present in the animal pole and the vegetal pole |
Both holoblastic and meroblastic cleavage are types of cell divisions that occur during the early embryonic stage, triggered by cyclin-dependent kinase complex. They result in the formation of the blastula, a stage in embryonic development.
- Cleavage vs Cell Division
- Morula vs Blastula
- Hematopoiesis vs Hemocytoblast
- Epiblast vs Hypoblast
- Radial vs Spiral Cleavage
- Cell Plate vs Cleavage Furrow
- Blastula vs Gastrula
- Cleavage vs Fracture
- Trophoblast vs Inner Cell Mass
- Blastocyst vs Embryo
- Protoplast vs Heterokaryon
- Archenteron vs Blastocoel
- Diploblastic vs Triploblastic
- Anamorph Teleomorph vs Holomorph
- Myeloblast vs Lymphoblast
- Holozoic vs Holophytic Nutrition
- Protonema vs Prothallus
- Protostomes vs Deuterostomes
- Protoplast vs Protoplasm