Amoebic "Midwives" Help Amoeba Reproduce

Having children is a very painful process for most women. The presence of various health care professionals (physicians, nurses, midwives) can help in this very difficult process. After watching my wife deliver our three children I realized that this mother-child separation is extremely painful and difficult. I was glad we had some people in the room that could help my wife when things got serious. I felt quite helpless. My job was simple. Hold my wife's hand, rub her back, and encourage her as much as she wanted. However, it wasn't easy seeing the woman you love suffer so much. My respect for my wife went up a thousand fold. If it were up to me to have the children in our family we would have one child, maybe.

Amoebae, a group of single-celled organisms, also have difficulty in delivering their young. Reproduction in amoebae is quite different when compared to human reproduction. The amoebae double their genetic material, create two nuclei, and then start to change their shape forming a narrow "waist" in their middle. This shape change continues until the final separation into two cells (a mother and daughter cell). At first there was one and now there are two.

However, in one type of amoeba this separation can be very difficult. They remain connected to each other by a narrow "waist" for long periods of time. Previous theories postulated what happened when these two cells were unable to separate. One theory suggests that the two cells (the mother and daughter cell) tug at their connection until it breaks. Another theory postulates that after trying for awhile to separate the two cells give up and reunite to form one cell again.

A recent study in the March, 21st, 2001 edition of Nature has revealed a third mechanism for cells stuck in reproduction. They found that professional help is needed when the mother and daughter amoebae are unable to separate. Their studies revealed that when two amoebae are stuck in the reproductive process a third amoeba rushes to their aid. This amoeba "midwife" squeezes between the two stuck cells and exerts pressure on the thin "waist" between them until it breaks. When the "waist" snaps the three amoebae go on their merry way.

Amoebae do not have eyes and can't see what cells are stuck in the process of reproduction. Therefore, when stuck in separation the two cells produce a chemical signal that other amoebae are attracted to. This chemical attractant brings in the amoeba "midwives" and separation of mother from daugther cell can be helped along.

So you see even one-celled organisms have difficulty in dividing at

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