  We investigate the relation between spontaneous and explicit replica symmetry
breaking in the theory of disordered systems. On general ground, we prove the
equivalence between the replicon operator associated with the stability of the
replica symmetric solution in the standard replica scheme and the operator
signaling a breakdown of the solution with analytic field dependence in a
scheme in which replica symmetry is explicitly broken by applied sources. This
opens the possibility to study, via the recently developed functional
renormalization group, unresolved questions related to spontaneous replica
symmetry breaking and spin-glass behavior in finite-dimensional disordered
systems.
