Where did I come from? Why do I have two arms but just one head? How is my left leg the same size as my right one? Why are the fingerprints of identical twins not identical? How did my brain learn to learn? Why must I die? Questions like these remain biology's deepest and most ancient challenges. They force us to confront a fundamental biological problem: how can something as large and complex as a human body organize itself from the simplicity of a fertilized egg? A convergence of ideas from embryology, genetics, physics, networks, and control theory has begun to provide real answers. Based on the central principle of 'adaptive self-organization', it explains how the interactions of many cells, and of the tiny molecular machines that run them, can organize tissue structures vastly larger than themselves, correcting errors as they go along and creating new layers of complexity where there were none before. Life Unfolding tells the story of human development from egg to adult, from this perspective, showing how our whole understanding of how we come to be has been transformed in recent years. Highlighting how embryological knowledge is being used to understand why bodies age and fail, Jamie A. Davies explores the profound and fascinating impacts of our newfound knowledge.

Humans and flies look nothing alike, yet their genetic circuits are remarkably similar. Here, Lewis I. Held, Jr compares the genetics and development of the two to review the evidence for deep homology, the biggest discovery from the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology. Remnants of the operating system of our hypothetical common ancestor 600 million years ago are compared in chapters arranged by region of the body, from the nervous system, limbs and heart, to vision, hearing and smell. Concept maps provide a clear understanding of the complex subjects addressed, while encyclopaedic tables offer comprehensive inventories of genetic information. Written in an engaging style with a reference section listing thousands of relevant publications, this is a vital resource for scientific researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students.

This lab manual is designed to give students experience with a wide variety of model systems currently in use by developmental biologists. Experiments range from classic slide or whole animal observations to more modern immunohistochemistry and manipulation of gene expression. All of these experiments can be completed on a relatively small budget.

The zebrafish has become one of the most important model organisms to study biological processes within a living body. As a vertebrate that has many of the strengths of invertebrate model systems, it offers numerous advantages to researchers interested in many aspects of embryonic development, physiology and disease. This book not only provides a complete set of instructions that will allow researchers to establish the zebrafish in their laboratory. It also gives a broad overview of commonly used methods and a comprehensive collection of protocols describing the most powerful techniques.

An up to date and comprehensive overview of the developing nervous system, with particular emphasis on the vertebrate brain. Recent advances in the molecular genetic basis of developmental mechanisms are integrated with a synthesis of the classical literature to provide coverage of key events, from the first appearance of the nervous system in the early embryo to postnatal and later stages. The extensive reference list will also make it a useful source for teachers and researchers in the field.

Diese Studienhilfe dient Ihrer Selbstkontrolle und damit der Vorbereitung auf Prufungen. Sie bietet Ihnen die Moglichkeit, sich mit den vielfaltigen Fragen in Ruhe zu Hause auseinanderzusetzen und Ihr Wissen eigenstandig zu uberprufen; oder Sie nutzen die Fragen als Anregungen, wenn Sie sich in Lerngruppen gegenseitig abfragen. Zusatzlich zu den rein zoologischen und botanischen Fragen sind ausserdem einige aus den verwandten Bereichen Okologie und Evolution enthalten, um den Prufungsstoff umfassender abzudecken. Die 1000 Fragen sollen Ihnen helfen, sich in diesen vier Themengebieten zu vertiefen und sind nach den Fachgebieten geordnet. Sie finden zu den wichtigsten Themen Multiple-Choice-Fragen mit in der Regel kurzen Antworten, die Sie am Ende des Buches nachschlagen konnen. Die Fragen sind bewusst unterschiedlicher Natur und in unterschiedlichen Schwierigkeitsgraden. Wissensfragen erfordern ein Faktenwissen, das Sie sich in der Regel mit dem Durcharbeiten von Vorlesungen und Lehrbuchern problemlos aneignen werden. Daneben finden Sie Verstandnisfragen, deren Beantwortung voraussetzt, dass Sie die Zusammenhange in der Biologie insgesamt oder innerhalb biologischer Einzelthemen verstanden haben. Mit den 1000 Fragen sollten Sie auf ideale Weise Ihr Wissen uberprufen und Ihre Lucken erkennen konnen."

Einem neuen Konzept folgend, schildert die "Human- embryologie" die gesamte Ontogenese des Menschen, ausgehend von allgemeinen entwicklungsbiologischen Fragen }ber pr{- natale Diagnostik bis hin zur Problematik des Schwanger- schaftsabbruchs. Das Buch enth{lt sehr umfangreiches Bild- material, das ich }berwiegend auf menchliche Embryonen st}tzt.

This book provides a synthetic overview of all evidence concerning the evolution of the morphology of the human pelvis, including comparative anatomy, clinical and experimental studies, and quantitative evolutionary models. By integrating these lines of research, this is the first book to bring all sources of evidence together to develop a coherent statement about the current state of the art in understanding pelvic evolution. Second, and related to this, the volume is the first detailed assessment of existing paradigms about the evolution of the pelvis, especially the obstetric dilemma. The authors argue that there are many 'dilemmas', but these must be approached using a testable methodology, rather than on the proviso of a single paradigm. The volume clearly contributes to greater scientific knowledge about human variation and evolution, and has implications for clinicians working within reproductive health. A thought-provoking read for students, researchers and professionals in the fields of biological anthropology, human evolutionary anthropology, paleoanthropology, bioarchaeology, biology, developmental biology and obstetrics.

Advances in our understanding of biological mechanisms have frequently been associated with the development of new techniques. In situ hybridization is a classic case of just such an advance. The technique effectively combines histochemistry with molecular biology and enables the rapid analysis of the distribution of RNA, or DNA, in the tissues. The information gained from this has caused something of a revolution in our understanding of developmental biology, since a fundamental aspect of development is the spatial and temporal expression of genes. In addition the technique has found application in the field of medicine, where it is giving new insights into the functioning of healthy tissues and the diagnosis and study of diseases. This book brings together contributions from leaders in the application of this technique and will help the reader review and be guided through the various options and variations of the technique.

How do we understand and explain the apparent dichotomy between plasticity and robustness in the context of development? Can we identify these complex processes without resorting to 'either/or' solutions? Written by two leaders in the field, this is the first book to fully unravel the complexity of the subject, explaining that the epigenetic processes generating plasticity and robustness are in fact deeply intertwined. It identifies the different mechanisms that generate robustness and the various forms of plasticity, before considering the functional significance of the integrated mechanisms and how the component processes might have evolved. Finally, it highlights the ways in which epigenetic mechanisms could be instrumental in driving evolutionary change. Essential reading for biologists and psychologists interested in epigenetics and evolution, this book is also a valuable resource for biological anthropologists, sociobiologists, child psychologists and paediatricians.

From a single cell - a fertilized egg - comes an elephant, a fly, or a human. How does this astonishing feat happen? How does the egg 'know' what to become? How does it divide into the different cells, the separate tissues, the brain, the fingernail - every tiniest detail of the growing foetus? These are the questions that the field of developmental biology seeks to answer. It is an area that is closely linked to genetics, evolution, and molecular biology. The processes are deeply rooted in evolutionary history; the information is held in genes whose vital timings in switching on and off is orchestrated by a host of proteins expressed by other genes. Timing is of the essence. Here, the distinguished developmental biologist Lewis Wolpert gives a concise account of what we now know about development, discussing the first vital steps of growth, the patterning created by Hox genes and the development of form, embryonic stem cells, the timing of gene expression and its management, chemical signalling, and growth. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

This book provides an interdisciplinary review of one of the great unsolved mysteries that has fascinated scientists for over 150 years: the origin of chirality in biomolecules. Current advances in fields as diverse as space exploration, prebiotic chemistry and high-energy physics may help to provide an answer. Important pieces of information will come from observations at the two frontiers of science: outer space and the subatomic world. Observation of distant planets, galaxies, and even actual sampling of celestial objects from beyond the solar system are projects currently underway. At the other end of the spectrum, there are experiments that study the elemental properties of matter, such as symmetry, and interactions with the fundamental forces. Completely revised and updated this new edition once again unifies all the theories of the origin of biomolecular homochirality together in a single source. This complete, interdisciplinary review of an intriguing subject condenses a large and disparate range of contributions from journals in almost every scientific field. The various theories have been organized, interrelated and explained in a unified way. It is fundamental, comprehensive and structured to be accessible for educational purposes.

A wide-ranging argument by a renowned anthropologist that the capacity to believe is what makes us human Why are so many humans religious? Why do we daydream, imagine, and hope? Philosophers, theologians, social scientists, and historians have offered explanations for centuries, but their accounts often ignore or even avoid human evolution. Evolutionary scientists answer with proposals for why ritual, religion, and faith make sense as adaptations to past challenges or as by-products of our hyper-complex cognitive capacities. But what if the focus on religion is too narrow? Renowned anthropologist Agustin Fuentes argues that the capacity to be religious is actually a small part of a larger and deeper human capacity to believe. Why believe in religion, economies, love? A fascinating intervention into some of the most common misconceptions about human nature, this book employs evolutionary, neurobiological, and anthropological evidence to argue that belief-the ability to commit passionately and wholeheartedly to an idea-is central to the human way of being in the world.

Important breakthroughs have recently been made in our understanding of the cognitive and sensory abilities of pollinators: how pollinators perceive, memorise and react to floral signals and rewards; how they work flowers, move among inflorescences and transport pollen. These new findings have obvious implications for the evolution of floral display and diversity, but most existing publications are scattered across a wide range of journals in very different research traditions. This book brings together for the first time outstanding scholars from many different fields of pollination biology, integrating the work of neuroethologists and evolutionary ecologists to present a multi-disciplinary approach. Aimed at graduates and researchers of behavioural and pollination ecology, plant evolutionary biology and neuroethology, it will also be a useful source of information for anyone interested in a modern view of cognitive and sensory ecology, pollination and floral evolution.

The maximum life span of multicellular organisms varies greatly: for a fruitfly it is about 30 days, for a dog about 20 years, and for a human about 100 years. Despite these differences, all animals show a similar pattern of their life spans - growth, adulthood, and aging, followed by death. The basic cause of aging in multicellular organisms (eukaryotes) lies at the level of the genes, although nutrition and various types of stresses do influence the rate and pattern of aging. This book reviews the molecular biology of the gene in relation to aging. Until about a decade ago it was not possible to probe into the types of changes that occur in eukaryotic genes, due to their enormous complexity. The use of genetic engineering techniques, however, is beginning to unravel the changes that occur in the genes as an organism ages: such as the changing expression of specific genes under normal conditions and under various types of stress, the changes in the regulatory roles of the sequences in the promotor regions of genes, conformational changes that may occur in genes during aging, and the protein factors that are involved in the aging process. The author presents basic information on eukaryotic genes and follows this with details of the changes that occur in their structure and function during aging. He reviews the latest studies being carried out in various laboratories, outlines the gaps and deficiencies in our present knowledge and suggests the most profitable future areas of research. Genes and Aging is for all students and researchers interested in the molecular biology of aging.

Meiosis, the antithesis of fertilization, is the unique genetically programmed mode of nuclear division associated with a halving of the chromosome number in sexually reproducing eukaryotes. It thus represents a key cellular and developmental pathway in the life of an organism. In this book, Bernard John presents the first complete, and the most authoritative, review of the events and mechanisms of meiosis including their scheduling, their mechanics and their biochemistry as well as their genetic control and the variations to be found in them in both sexual and subsexual systems. The text is superbly illustrated with 131 figures and 73 tables. Meiosis must be regarded as essential reading for all students, teachers and research workers with an interest in eukaryotic cell biology and genetics.

Meristematic cells in plants (as with stem cells in animals) become the many different types of cells found in a mature plant. This is achieved by a selective response to chemical signals both from neighbouring cells and distant tissues. It is these responses that shape the plant, its time of flowering, the sex of its flowers, its length of survival or progress to senescence and death. How do plants achieve this? This up-to-date treatise addresses this question using well-chosen examples to illustrate the concept of target cells. The authors discuss how each cell has the ability to discriminate between different chemical signals, determining which it will respond to and which it will ignore. The regulation of gene expression through signal perception and signal transduction is at the core of this selectivity and the Target Cell concept. This volume will serve as a valuable reference for all researchers working in the field of plant developmental biology.

Unicellular organisms use gravity as an environmental guide to reach and stay in regions optimal for their growth and reproduction. These single cells play a significant role in food webs and these factors together make the effects of gravity on unicellular organisms a fascinating and important subject for scientific study. In addition, they present valuable model systems for studying the mechanisms of gravity perception, a topic of increasing interest in these days of experimentation in space. This book reveals how single cells achieve the same sensoric capacity as multicellular organisms like plants or animals. It reviews the field, discussing the historical background, ecological significance and related physiology of unicellular organisms, as well as various experimental techniques and models with which to study them. Those working on the biology of unicellular organisms, as well as in related areas of gravitational and space science will find this book of value.

The concept of programmed cell death, or apoptosis, has exploded into a major scientific field of interest for cell biologists, oncologists, and many other biomedical researchers. Apoptosis occurs throughout the lifetime of most multicellular organisms. During development, for example, the selective death of cells is vital to remove tissue between the digits to produce fingers and toes. Apoptosis is also necessary to destroy cells that represent a threat to the integrity of the organism, for example cells infected by a virus. In many cancers the genes regulating apoptosis are defective, producing immortal, continuously proliferating cells. This book, first published in 2004, discusses the philosophical and technical difficulties in defining the moment of death for a cell, as well as the biological implications and significance of programmed cell death. Recent developments in the genetic control and interacting gene networks associated with apoptosis are presented. The book is written for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students, and is highly illustrated to aid understanding.

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).

Contributors to this volume discuss advances in Arabidopsis research, including construction of the physical map, sequencing of the genome, and strategies for structure-function analysis. The power of mutagenesis as a tool to gain insights into plant developmental processes is illustrated in a range of stages in the life cycle of Arabidopsis, including embryogenesis, vegetative development, flowering, reproduction and cell death. In addition, the control of metabolism, secretion and biological rhythms is examined and the ways in which development is regulated by such stimuli as plant hormones and light are evaluated. The book should be useful to researchers and postgraduates in plant physiology, development, biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and crop biotechnology.

"Ein einzigartiges Buch, das nur von einem Mann wie Ernst Mayr geschrieben werden konnte, der nicht nur einer der bedeutendsten Evolutionsbiologen dieses Jahrhunderts, sondern auch ein grosser Philosoph, Biologiehistoriker und aussergewohnlicher Schriftsteller ist. Kein anderes Buch erzahlt so klar und kritisch die Evolution der Ideen, die zur modernen Biologie fuhrten."
("Nobelpreistrager Francois Jacob")"

Scientists investigating germ cells have, over the past 15 years, originated discoveries and innovations that give us valuable insights into the mechanisms that regulate not just stem cell function, but human development in its widest sense. With contributions from some of the leading researchers in the field, Male Germline Stem Cells: Developmental and Regenerative Potential assesses the implications of these discoveries for understanding the fundamental biology of germline stem cells as well as their potential for human stem cell-based therapies. This monograph covers many of the fundamental issues now being explored by today's generation of stem cell researchers, including the field's potential for regenerative medicine. Ranging from an assessment of the pluripotency of primordial germ cells and their possible applications in treating testicular cancer, to the recovery of once-mordant fertilization-competent sperm, this volume has it all. It is a reference point for any scientist involved in related research as well as being a timely summation of what could prove to be a hugely exciting and very fruitful area of inquiry.