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Developmental biology

Asymmetry with a twist

In snails, manipulating the orientation of cells in the early embryo alters the left–right asymmetry of the shell and body. These findings refine the search for the symmetry-breaking event in this and other animals.

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Figure 1: Spiralling downward.

N. H. PATEL

Figure 2: Reversing asymmetry in snails.

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Patel, N. Asymmetry with a twist. Nature 462, 727–728 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/462727a

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