Philip Hertzler
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
Developmental Biology
Biosciences 3406
989-774-2323
philip.l.hertzler@cmich.edu


Dr. Hertzler is a professor of Biology at Central Michigan University

Education

  • B.S., Goshen College, 1985
  • Ph.D., University of California - Davis, 1993
  • Postdoc., Duke University, 1993-1998

Teaching Areas

  • Cell Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Microscopy
  • History of Biology

Research Fields

  • Developmental Biology
  • Aquaculture

Current Research Projects

My lab is interested in understanding how marine shrimp develop from the egg through the larval stages. We work with several shrimp species including the Ridgeback prawn Sicyonia ingentis, the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, and the Japanese tiger prawn Marsupenaeus japonicus, obtained from southern California, Hawaii and Australia. We use a combination of molecular biology, microscopy and embryo manipulation to study the development of the germ line and muscle. One current focus of our lab is to identify the primordial germ line in embryos and larvae, and study the role of a large, RNA-positive granule in germ line specification. We have cloned several genes involved in germ line specification (e.g., vasa, nanos, pumilio) and are investigating their expression pattern and function in marine shrimp. Our research is funded by CSIRO, Australia.

Research is currently being conducted in my lab to describe pollen grain diversity across the Brassicaceae. Trends in pollen evolution will be examined relative to recent advances in phylogenetic reconstruction and tribal classifications within the family. Pollen morphological data from scanning electron and light microscopy will be used to examine pollen evolutionary patterns and correlated floral evolution across the Brassicaceae.

Publications

  • Wei, J., Glaves, R.S.E.*, Sellars, M.J., Xiang, J., and Hertzler, P.L. (2016) Expression of the prospective mesoderm genes twist, snail, and mef2 in penaeid shrimp. Development, Genes & Evolution. 226:317-324.
  • Hertzler, P.L. (2015). "Crustacea": Decapoda (Dendrobranchiata). In: A. Wanninger (ed) Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates, Vo. 4: Ecdysozoa II: "Crustacea." Springer, Vienna.
  • Sellars, M.J., Trewin, C., McWilliam, S.M., Glaves*, R.S.E., Hertzler, P.L. (2015). Transcriptome profiles of Penaeus (Marsupenaeus) japonicus animal and vegetal half-embryos: identification of sex determination, germ line, mesoderm, and other developmental genes. Marine Biotechnology 17:252-265.
  • Grattan, R.M.*, McCulloch, R.M., Sellars, M.J., and Hertzler, P.L. (2013). Ultrastructure of putative germ granules in penaeid Marsupenaeus japonicus. Arthropod Structure & Development 42:153-164.
  • Sellars, M.J., Arce, S.M., and Hertzler, P.L. (2012). Triploidy induction in the Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei using 6-demethylaminopurine chemical and cold temperature shock induction agents: an assessment of induction parameters, embryo viability and early larval survival. (In press, Marine Biotechnology).
  • Pawlak, J.B.*, Wood, A., Sellars, M.J., and Hertzler, P.L. (2010). Cleavage and gastrulation in the Kuruma shrimp Penaeus (Marsupenaeus) japonicus (Bate): a revised cell lineage and identification of a presumptive germ cell marker. Development, Growth & Differentiation 52: 677-692.
  • Walton, K.D., Warner, J., Hertzler, P.L. and McClay, D.R. (2009). Hedgehog signaling patterns mesoderm in the sea urchin. Developmental Biology 331: 26-37.
  • Hertzler, P.L. and Freas, W.R.* (2009). Pleonal muscle development in the shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) vannamei (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Decapoda: Dendrobranchiata). Arthropod Structure & Development 38: 235-246.
  • Wang, S.W., Hertzler, P.L. and Clark, W.H., Jr. (2008). Mesendoderm cells induce oriented cell division and invagination in the marine shrimp Sicyonia ingentis. Developmental Biology 320: 175-184.
  • Kiernan, D.* and Hertzler, P.L. (2006). Muscle development in dendrobranchiate shrimp, with comparison with Artemia. Evolution & Development 8(6): 537-549.
  • Hertzler, P.L. (2005). Cleavage and gastrulation in the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Malacostraca, Decapoda, Dendrobranchiata). Arthopod Structure & Development 34: 455-469.
  • Hertzler, P.L. (2005). Timing of meiotic maturation and first mitosis in the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 36: 570-576.
  • Hertzler, P.L. (2002). Development of the mesendoderm in the dendrobranchiate shrimp Sicyonia ingentis. Arthropod Structure & Development 31: 33-49.
  • Hertzler, P.L. (2002). Twin meiosis 2 spindles form after suppression of polar body 1 formation in oocytes of the marine shrimp Sicyonia ingentis. Biological Bulletin 202: 100-103.
*Graduate student; #Undergraduate