One interesting fact about C. elegans is that the way the grow from 1 cell to adult (~1000 cells) is almost completely reproducible between different worms.
I.e. the pattern of cell division and the positions and identities of the cells is very fixed, with known timing etc.
Compare this to mammalian development, where even at the early stages, development becomes less rigid and operates by "course correction", rather than by following strict sequences.
(I studied the early development of C. elegans for my PhD)
I.e. the pattern of cell division and the positions and identities of the cells is very fixed, with known timing etc.
Compare this to mammalian development, where even at the early stages, development becomes less rigid and operates by "course correction", rather than by following strict sequences.
(I studied the early development of C. elegans for my PhD)