Developmental gene expression patterns could be a possible factor that could influence the number of spinal nerves in animals.
- In vertebrates, a spinal nerve is any of the several pairs of peripheral nerves that emerge from the spinal cord.
- A spinal nerve is a mixed nerve that conveys motor, sensory, and autonomic signals. Each pair joins a certain part of the body to the spinal cord.
- The number of spinal nerves in a vertebrate corresponds to the number of vertebrae in the vertebral column.
- For example, tadpoles have greater number of spinal nerves than adult frogs owing to their tails. Tails are expendable organs. As a tadpole metamorphoses into an adult frog, the tail is lost. Hence, the spinal nerves originally present in the tail are lost too thereby reducing the number of spinal nerves in an adult frog.
Therefore, factors such as developmental gene expression patterns, morphology and developmental processes of an animal could dictate or influence the number of spinal nerves in animals.
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