Cytokinesis is the division of the cell body that follows the sorting and transport of chromosomes. This book traces the history of some of the major ideas in the field and gives an account of our current knowledge of animal cytokinesis. It contains descriptions of division in different kinds of cells and the proposed explanations of the mechanisms underlying the visible events. Experiments devised to test cell division theories are described and explained. The forces necessary for cytokinesis now appear to originate from the interaction of linear polymers and motor molecules that have roles in force production, motion and shape change that occur in other phases of the biology of the cell. The localization of the force-producing division mechanism to a restricted linear part of the subsurface is caused by the mitotic apparatus, the same cytoskeletal structure that ensures orderly mitosis.

During animal development the descendants of a single cell form many different tissues and organs in appropriate positions within an embryo. To do this they must recognise their position, and this book examines our knowledge of how this is done. It starts by considering how much spatial pattern is already laid down when the egg forms inside the mother, and ends just before the formation of visible organs. Within these limits it considers evidence obtained by a variety of techniques, both experimental and biochemical, and from the embryos of many different animal groups. This breadth of coverage and the amount of detail afforded, particularly to the experimental studies, distinguish it from competing works and will make it a very valuable review. Moreover, in the final chapter the author analyses this evidence in ways which will be new to most readers, and which call into question current ideas about spatial determination.

This book addresses the biological effects of the reasonably large number of classes of compounds that have been recognized as endocrine disrupters. These compounds have been found to persist as pollutants in the environment, and have been blamed for causing developmental disorders and/or fertility problems in fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and possibly humans. This book presents the relevant fundamentals of the endocrine systems of animals and humans, the toxicology, developmental toxicology, ecology, and risk assessment methods, and lays out the current state of understanding for the whole field, organized by the classes of compounds that have been identified as endocrine disrupters.

The aim of the series is to present relatively short accounts of areas of developmental and cell biology where sufficient information has accumulated to allow a considered distillation of the cells. This book studies the developmental biology of fern gametophytes, from their beginning through growth and maturation to their reproductive strategies. The books are intended to interest and instruct advanced undergraduates and graduate students and to make an important contribution to teaching cell and developmental biology. At the same time, they should be of value to biologists who, while not working directly in the area of a particular volume's subject matter, wish to keep abreast of developments relative to their particular interests.

Plants are an advantageous group for the consideration of the development of biological form. Plants share most aspects of cell biology with other organisms, yet their embryonic development continues throughout their life, their cells do not move relative to each other and their structure is relatively simple. The chapters in this book are centred around the structure of tissues and its purpose is to try and predict what should be looked for at a molecular level so as to account for observable forms. Each chapter deals with a defined problem such as the role of hormones as correlative agents, tissue polarization, apical meristems and cell lineages. The final chapter develops an alternative approach to the problem of the specification of biological form, that of 'epigenetic selection'. The chapters are centred around the structure of tissues, an intermediate and neglected level between overt morphology and biochemistry, and will be of great interest to all those engaged in attempting to understand the principles behind plant development.

What determines the direction of evolutionary change? This book provides a revolutionary answer to this question. Many biologists, from Darwin's day to our own, have been satisfied with the answer 'natural selection'. Professor Wallace Arthur is not. He takes the controversial view that biases in the ways that embryos can be altered are just as important as natural selection in determining the directions that evolution has taken, including the one that led to the origin of humans. This argument forms the core of the book. However, in addition, the book summarizes other important issues relating to how embryonic (and post-embryonic) development evolves. Written in an easy, conversational style, this is the first book for students and the general reader that provides an account of the exciting new field of Evolutionary Developmental Biology ('Evo-Devo' to its proponents).

Sue Savage-Rumbaugh's work on the language capabilities of the bonobo Kanzi has intrigued the world because of its far-reaching implications for understanding the evolution of the human language. This book takes the reader behind the scenes of the filmed language tests. It argues that while the tests prove that Kanzi has language, the even more remarkable manner in which he originally acquired it - spontaneously, in a culture shared with humans - calls for a re-thinking of language, emphasizing its primal cultural dimensions.

In the eighteenth century, two rival theories of organic generation existed. The ‘preformationists’ believed that all embryos had been formed by God at the Creation and encased within one another to await their future appointed time of development, while the ‘epigenesists’ argued that each embryo is newly produced through gradual development from unorganized material. The most important clash between the two schools, the debate between Albrecht von Haller (1708–77) and Caspar Friedrich Wolff (1734–94), crystallized many of the key issues of eighteenth-century biology - the role of mechanism in biological explanation, the relationship of God to His Creation, the question of spontaneous generation, the problems of regeneration, hybrids, and monstrous births. In this book, Professor Roe takes the debate beyond its observational basis and shows that at issue were not only specific embryological problems but also fundamental philosophical questions about the natural world and the way science should explain it.

Contemporary research in evolutionary developmental biology has been predominantly devoted to interpreting basic features of animal architecture in molecular genetics terms. Considerably less time has been spent on the exploitation of the wealth of facts and concepts from traditional disciplines, such as comparative morphology. This book integrates traditional morphological and contemporary molecular genetic approaches and deals with postembryonic development as well. It offers unconventional views on the basic features of animal organization, such as body axes, symmetry, segments, body regions, appendages and related concepts. This book is of particular interest to graduate students and researchers in evolutionary and developmental biology, cell biology, genetics, and zoology.

West-Eberhard is widely recognized as one of the most incisive thinkers in evolutionary biology. This book assesses all the evidence for our current understanding of the role of changes in body plan and development for the process of speciation. The process of evolution is systematically reassessed to integrate the insights coming from developmental genetics. Every serious student of evolution, and a substantial share of developmental biologists and geneticists, will need to take note of this contribution. The timing is clearly ripe for the synthesis that this work will help bring about.

Developmental biology is seemingly well understood, with development widely accepted as being a series of programmed changes through which an egg turns into an adult organism, or a seed matures into a plant. However, the picture is much more complex than that: is it all genetically controlled or does environment have an influence? Is the final adult stage the target of development and everything else just a build-up to that point? Are developmental strategies the same in plants as in animals? How do we consider development in single-celled organisms? In this concise, engaging volume, Alessandro Minelli, a leading developmental biologist, addresses these key questions. Using familiar examples and easy-to-follow arguments, he offers fresh alternatives to a number of preconceptions and stereotypes, awakening the reader to the disparity of developmental phenomena across all main branches of the tree of life.

Among the offspring of humans and other animals are occasional individuals that are malformed in whole or in part. The most grossly abnormal of these have been referred to from ancient times as monsters, because their birth was thought to foretell doom; the less severely affected are usually known as anomalies. This volume digs deeply into the cellular and molecular processes of embryonic development that go awry in such exceptional situations. It focuses on the physical mechanisms of how genes instruct cells to build anatomy, as well as the underlying forces of evolution that shaped these mechanisms over eons of geologic time. The narrative is framed in a historical perspective that should help students trying to make sense of these complex subjects. Each chapter is written in the style of a Sherlock Holmes story, starting with the clues and ending with a solution to the mystery.

This book examines the genetic circuitry of the well-known "fruit fly," tackling questions of cell assemblage and pattern formation, of the hows and the whys behind the development of the fly. After an initial examination of the proximity versus pedigree imperatives, the volume delves into bristle pattern formation and disc development, with entire chapters devoted to the leg, wing, and eye. Extensive appendices include a glossary of protein domains, catalogs of well-studied genes, and an outline of signaling pathways. More than 30 wiring diagrams among over 60 detailed schematics clarify the text.

Reviews our current understanding of the role of protein oxidation in aging and age-related diseases

Protein oxidation is at the core of the aging process. Setting forth a variety of new methods and approaches, this book helps researchers conveniently by exploring the aging process and developing more effective therapies to prevent or treat age-related diseases. There have been many studies dedicated to the relationship between protein oxidation and age-related pathology; now it is possible for researchers and readers to learn new techniques as utilizing protein oxidation products as biomarkers for aging.

"Protein Oxidation and Aging" begins with a description of the tremendous variety of protein oxidation products. Furthermore, it covers: Major aspects of the protein oxidation processCellular mechanisms for managing oxidized proteinsRole of protein oxidation in agingInfluence of genetic and environmental factors on protein oxidationMeasuring protein oxidation in the aging processProtein oxidation in age-related diseases

References at the end of each chapter serve as a gateway to the growing body of original research studies and reviews in the field.

Fungal Morphogenesis brings together in one book, for the first time, the full scope of fungal developmental biology. The book provides a coherent account of the subject and puts forward ideas that can provide a basis for future research. Throughout, the author blends together physiological, biochemical, structural and molecular descriptions within an evolutionary framework. Sufficient information is provided about fungal biology to give the reader a rounded view of the mycological context within which fungal morphogenesis is played out, without obscuring the broader biological significance. The author is careful to avoid jargon and demystifies technical terms. Written by one of the few people with the necessary breadth of research expertise to deal authoritatively with the wide range of topics presented, this book will appeal to developmental and cell biologists, microbiologists, and geneticists.

Transcription factors are essential mediators of the genetic programs that control development and physiology. This exciting book presents current knowledge of transcription factors from two viewpoints. First, the basic science of transcriptional regulation is discussed. Second, inherited human diseases attributable to mutations in DNA sequences encoding transcription factors or their cognate binding sites are described. Readers are also introduced to the involvement of transcription factors in somatic cell genetic disease (cancer) and epigenetic disease (teratogenesis).

How do hormones and growth factors regulate animal growth in the developing embryo and after injury? What processes at the molecular level determine the growth patterns of different tissues? In this diverse synthesis of recent research the regulation of growth in response to environmental and genetic stimuli is discussed at the level of the animal, tissues and cells. Contrasts are drawn between regulation in foetal and adult tissues, and in different tissues such as the CNS, bone and muscle. Functional chapters focus on the molecular links between mechanical tension and muscle growth, for example, while other chapters review the roles of specific molecules such as growth hormone. This state-of-the-art review will be of significant interest to graduate students and research scientists in the fields of animal growth, endocrinology and cell biology.

This book presents a completely novel approach to the understanding of ageing, which many believe is an unsolved problem in biology. It explains why ageing exists in animals, and reviews our understanding of it at the biological level. This includes a discussion of the origins and evolution of ageing. The book is not a review of research on ageing, but instead draws on material from a wide range of disciplines, including the very extensive biomedical information about age-related diseases in humans. Understanding Ageing argues that much research needs to be done on the cellular and molecular aspects of ageing, if the origins of these diseases are to be understood, and their prevention made possible. This thought-provoking book will appeal to all students and researchers who are interested in ageing, whether they are working in the clinical or basic research sphere.

This book presents a completely novel approach to the understanding of ageing, which many believe is an unsolved problem in biology. It explains why ageing exists in animals, and reviews our understanding of it at the biological level. This includes a discussion of the origins and evolution of ageing. The book is not a review of research on ageing, but instead draws on material from a wide range of disciplines, including the very extensive biomedical information about age-related diseases in humans. Understanding Ageing argues that much research needs to be done on the cellular and molecular aspects of ageing, if the origins of these diseases are to be understood, and their prevention made possible. This thought-provoking book will appeal to all students and researchers who are interested in ageing, whether they are working in the clinical or basic research sphere.

Symbiotic interactions are those relationships between organisms that permit some species to overcome their physiological limitations by exploiting the capacities of others. This volume presents a modern synthesis of scientific knowledge of symbiosis, from the molecular mechanisms underlying its function to the ecological and evolutionary impact of such associations. With an emphasis on basic principles, the book takes the novel approach that symbiosis is a vehicle by which many organisms have gained access to complex metabolic capabilities. Examples are offered to illustrate this concept, including photosynthetic algae in corals, nitrogen-fixing bacteria in plant roots, and cellulose-degrading micro-organisms in herbivorous mammals. The traditional view of symbioses as mutually beneficial relationships is explicitly abandoned. The book draws together the wide-ranging literature on the topic, providing an integrated introduction that is accessible to undergraduates. The work serves as an excellent text for courses in symbiosis, and as a supplementary resource for students in ecology, evolutionary biology, and parasitology. As an up-to-date review of the field, the book will also be valued by graduate students and researchers.

Development of the shapes of living organisms and their parts is a field of science in which there are no generally accepted theoretical principles. What form these principles are likely to take, when they emerge, is a subject in which there is a wide gulf of disagreement between physical scientists and experimental biologists. This book contains both an extensive philosophical commentary on this dichotomy in views and an exposition of the type of theory most favoured by physical scientists. In this theory living form is a manifestation of the dynamics of chemical change and physical transport or other physics of spatial communication. The reaction-diffusion theory, as initiated by Turing in 1952 and since elaborated by Prigogine and by Gierer and Meinhardt among others, is discussed in detail at a level that requires a good knowledge of a first course in calculus, but no more than that.

This book offers the first comprehensive summary of life-history evolution, a field that holds a central position in modern ecology and evolutionary biology. Structured for teaching, with problem sets at the end of each chapter, the contents will interest all biologists wishing to understand the evolution of the life cycle and the causes of phenotypic variation in fitness.

Would you ask a honeybee to point at a screen and recognise a facial expression? Or ask an elephant to climb a tree? While humans and non-human species may inhabit the same world, it's likely that our perceptual worlds differ significantly. Emphasising Uexkull's concept of 'umwelt', this volume offers practical advice on how animal cognition can be successfully tested while avoiding anthropomorphic conclusions. The chapters describe the capabilities of a range of animals - from ants, to lizards to chimpanzees - revealing how to successfully investigate animal cognition across a variety of taxa. The book features contributions from leading cognition researchers, each offering a series of examples and practical tips drawn from their own experience. Together, the authors synthesise information on current field and laboratory methods, providing researchers and graduate students with methodological advice on how to formulate research questions, design experiments and adapt studies to different taxa.

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in our understanding of early animal development. The revised edition of this excellent book describes the results of this revolution and explains in detail how the body plan of an embryo emerges from a newly fertilized egg. The book starts with a critical discussion of embryological concepts, and with simple mathematics describes cell states, morphogen gradients, and threshold responses. The experimental evidence of the mechanisms of regional specification in vertebrates, insects, and selected invertebrates, namely frogs (Xenopus), mice, chicks, fruitflies (Drosophila), mollusks, ringed worms, sea squirts, and nematode worms (Caenorhabditis), is then discussed. The progress with Drosophila has been particularly impressive, and there is an entire chapter devoted to it that provides a clear guide to the subject and includes a new table of developmentally important genes. Throughout, the emphasis is on conceptual clarity and unity, and the book brings together mathematical models, embryological experiments, and molecular biology in a single comprehensible and coherent account.

The technique of allometry investigates the effects of size on such variables as food intake, energy requirements, growth rates and age at first reproduction. This book, now available in paperback, brings together much of what is known about the consequences of size and provides a new and mathematically rigorous framework within which many quantitative predictions are made and tested using published and unpublished data. New explanations are proposed for many previously unexplained phenomena such as why in some species females are thousands of times heavier than males, whereas in no species are males more than about eight times heavier than females. The models presented afford a new synthesis of the effects of size and open up more pathways for further theoretical investigation and experimental testing. Care has been taken to give verbal presentations of all the mathematical conclusions to ensure that the text is widely intelligible.