ABSTRACT
The cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum is a eukaryotic microorganism with a unique, well-defined life cycle that has proven ideal for the study of development (1-3). Although simple enough to be particularly amenable to study, Dictyostelium exhibits many of the complex features of morphogenesis found in phylogenetically more advanced organisms. These features include cell movement and chemotaxis, specific intercellular adhesion, cell-cell and cellextracellular matrix associations, cell type-specific gene expression, morphogens, polarity, and pattern formation. The continued study of Dictyostelium should contribute to the elucidation of many of the general principles underlying the assembly and patterning observed in multicellular organisms.
