Somatic control of germ cell development in Caenorhabditis elegans

Germ cell development in Caenorhabditis elegans involves three processes: a shift from the mitotic to the meiotic cell cycle; the adoption of a male or female sexual identity; and differentiation into a functional gamete. All three aspects of germline development appear to be regulated, at least in part, by the soma. We discuss cell ablation, genetic and molecular studies that have shed light on the nature of the signal transduction systems mediating intercellular communication between germline and somatic tissues of the nematode.