Of the three organizers of this NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Neocortex: Onto geny and Phylogeny," one derived most of his knowledge about neocortex from studies on birds, another had never studied any animal but the cat and could probably recognize not more than ten animal species, and the third had very limited experience with mountaineering. They had in common the belief that evolutionary thinking permeates what biologists do, but that evolution of species and structures cannot be directly experimentally addressed. Although the fossil record can provide some major insights, the inroad to the evolution of the brain is indirect, via comparative anatomy and developmental biology. By identifying similarities and differences between brain structures in the species at hand, comparative anatomy generates hypotheses of evolutionary transformations. By understanding the rules of morphological transformation, developmental biology can, in principle, estimate the likelihood that a given transformation may have actually occurred. The meeting was a way to check if this notion is viable, by gathering together scientists from these two fields. Standing, left to right: F. Ebner, V. Caviness, M. Weisskopf, B. Fritszch, N. Swindale, J. Walter, H. Karten, J. Pettigrew, E. Welker, M. Cynader, D. Frost, L. Lopez-Mascaraque, P. Katz, H. Jerison, E. Soriano, Mayor of Alagna, Dr. G. Guglielmina, and associate, H. Van der Loos, B. Finlay, H. Scheich, C. Ruela. Seated: S. Pallas, T. Lohmann, J. De Carlos, F. Valverde, G. Innocenti, M. Diamond v "Gathering" does not accurately describe what really happened."

This series was established to create comprehensive treatises on specialized topics in developmental biology. Such volumes are especially vital in develop mental biology, since it is a very diverse field that receives contributions from a wide variety of disciplines. This series is a meeting-ground for the various practitioners of this science, facilitating an integration of heterogeneous infor mation on. specific topics. Each volume is intended to provide the conceptual basis for a comprehen sive understanding of its topic as well as an analysis of the key experiments upon which that understanding is based. The specialist in any aspect of devel opmental biology should understand the experimental background of the field and be able to place that body of information in context to ascertain where additional research would be fruitful. At that point, the creative process takes over, and new experiments are designed. This series is intended to be a vital link in that ongoing process of learning and discovery. If it facilitates schol arship, it will serve an important function."

The cerebral neo cortex, unique to mammals, is regarded as the prerequisite for higher cognitive function and is the structure most closely associated with the idea of the "mind" . Expansion of mental capa city between mammals is most typically associated with an evolutionary increase in neocortical volume that culminates in the intricately folded configuration of sulci and gyri so charac teristic of the primate cerebral cortex. Yet, the basic unit structure and funda mental connectivity of cortex appears to have been preserved from the smooth cortex of the mouse or rat to the highly convoluted cortical mantle of the human that, if stretched out as a sheet, would be large enough to wrap the entire human brain multiple times. The basic similarity in structure and func tion has made it possible to conduct studies in the relatively simple cortices of rat or mouse and have the results pertain to the understanding of the primate, including human, cortex. The neo cortex is an intriguing structure for the study of cell differentiation. Its dozens of neuronal cell types and small handful of different glial types have their origin in a pseudostratified germinal epithelium lining the ventricular surface of the forebrain. In its mature form, neocortex is a six-Iayered struc ture; five of its layers contain multiple different but characteristic neuronal types with the sixth occupied by neuronal processes. Various glial cells are dis persed throughout all six layers.

1 Kevin Moses It is now 25 years since the study of the development of the compound eye in Drosophila really began with a classic paper (Ready et al. 1976). In 1864, August Weismann published a monograph on the development of Diptera and included some beautiful drawings of the developing imaginal discs (Weismann 1864). One of these is the first description of the third instar eye disc in which Weismann drew a vertical line separating a posterior domain that included a regular pattern of clustered cells from an anterior domain without such a pattern. Weismann suggested that these clusters were the precursors of the adult ommatidia and that the line marks the anterior edge of the eye. In his first suggestion he was absolutely correct - in his second he was wrong. The vertical line shown was not the anterior edge of the eye, but the anterior edge of a moving wave of patterning and cell type specification that 112 years later (1976) Ready, Hansen and Benzer would name the "morphogenetic furrow". While it is too late to hear from August Weismann, it is a particular pleasure to be able to include a chapter in this Volume from the first author of that 1976 paper: Don Ready! These past 25 years have seen an astonishing explosion in the study of the fly eye (see Fig.

Indonesia possesses the second largest primate population in the world, with over 33 different primate species. Although Brazil possesses more primate species, Indonesia outranks it in terms of its diversity of primates, ranging from prosimians (slow lorises and tarsiers), to a multitude of Old World Monkey species (macaques, langurs, proboscis moneys) to lesser apes (siamangs, gibbons) and great apes (orangutans). The primates of Indonesia are distributed throughout the archipelago. Partly in response to the number of primates distributed throughout the Indonesian archipelago, Indonesia is classified as the home of two biodiversity hotspots (Wallacea and Sundaland). In order to be classified as a hotspot, an area must have a large proportion of endemic species coupled with a high degree of threat including having lost more than 70% of its original habitat. Two areas within Indonesia meet these criteria. The tremendous diversity of primates in Indonesia, in conjunction with the conservation issues facing the primates of this region, created a need for this volume.

The NATO Advanced Study Institute on "Experimental Embryology in Aquatic Plant and Animal Organisms" was attended by more than 70 participants, including 15 invited main lecturers from 18 different countries. In accordance with the main purpose of the meeting, senior scientists, postdoctoral investigators and graduate students working in areas of descriptive and experimental embryology, classical, molecular and developmental biology, physiology and biochemistry etc. , were brought together for two weeks as a community with a strong common interest in "development"; that is, the multiple phenomena and mechanisms, in molecular, cellular, genetic and organismic terms, observed in the development of aquatic organisms. Initial concern that the great variety of biological models as well as of research subjects would harm the scientific quality and coherency of the course was unnecessary. It was exactly this breadth which made the Institute worthwhile for each of the participants. Since many of the "students" were younger scientists starting a career, it was the main goal of the course to offer a concise overview of selected system models of primarily aquatic organisms and to present and discuss research carried out in the past and in progress. Thus, each main speaker gave two in-depth lectures: one in which he presented an overview of "his" model and another dealing with current investigations.

This book evolved through the efforts of several organizations and the dedication of many individuals. In 1987, we received arequest to propose a workshop topic for the Fifth International Theriological Congress (ITC) to be held in August 1989 in Rome, Italy. After looking up the meaning of the word "theriological" in the dictionary and discovering that it pertains to mammalian behavior, we decided a symposium on sensory abilities of whales and dOlphins would be an interesting topic. The ITC convenes only every five years and has the distinction of being very weIl attended by scientists from around the world. We thought that hosting a workshop in conjunction with the ITC would attract a variety of international scientists that rarely have the opportunity to interact. Fortunately for all involved, our prediction was correct. The first two days of the workshop, 23-24 August 1989, were held in conjunction with ITC and the nearly 1,000 attending scientists were able to view our posters and listen to lectures. The third day was limited to only ab out 65 invited scientists who were divided into topical working groups chaired by a rapporteur.

This book focuses on the intersection between cell cycle regulation and embryo development. Specific modifications of the canonical cell cycle occur throughout the whole period of development and are adapted to fulfil functions coded by the developmental program. Deciphering these adaptations is essential to comprehending how living organisms develop. The aim of this book is to review the best-known modifications and adaptations of the cell cycle during development. The first chapters cover the general problems of how the cell cycle evolves, while consecutive chapters guide readers through the plethora of such phenomena. The book closes with a description of specific changes in the cell cycle of neurons in the senescent human brain. Taken together, the chapters present a panorama of species - from worms to humans - and of developmental stages - from unfertilized oocyte to aged adult.

Interest in sexuality and reproductive function does not cease when people begin to age. Instead, a new set of questions arises. Women want to know if it is safe to have babies in their late thirties and early forties. They want to know more about hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause-which ones are dangerous and which are merely uncomfortable. They are eager to learn about the relative risks and benefits of estrogen replacement therapy. Men, too, are concerned about age-related changes in their sexual function. Experts in reproductive physiology, gerontology, and genetics met at the National Institutes of Health in June of 1984 to discuss these and other concerns about aging and the reproductive system. The conference on Aging, Reproduc tion, and the Climacteric was sponsored by the American Fertility Society, The National Institute on Aging, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. This volume is based on the proceedings of that confer ence."

It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things. Machiavelli: The Prince (1513) These are the Proceedings of a Conference on Temperature and Environmental Factors and the Testis which took place at New York University School of Medicine, December 8th and 9th, 1989. There is good reason to believe that this was the first of its kind to address, exclusively, the implications of temperature for this highly thermosensitive organ and its precious genetic cargo. The organizers of the Conference hoped to stimulate interest in this area which, paradoxically, has a considerable literature but which has received scant attention and sometimes outright opposition from clinicians expert in male infertility. There have been studies of the relationship of temperature to reproduction starting in the mid-18th Century with observations of the relationship of water temperature to spawning of fish. There is also a vast literature on the deleterious effects of externally applied heat upon spermatogenesis but little study of the possibility that intrinsic heat may be an important etiologic factor in subfertile semen. Today, fertility research has largely ignored this in favor of research in areas which have not produced successes, in terms of live births, comparable to what can be obtained by varicocelectomy (when appropriate) or scrotal hypothermia: viz. 1. Concentration upon the endocrine aspects of testicular function and its relation to spermatogenesis.

This 1999 edition of The Neural Crest contains comprehensive information about the neural crest, a structure unique to the vertebrate embryo, which has only a transient existence in early embryonic life. The ontogeny of the neural crest embodies the most important issues in developmental biology, as the neural crest is considered to have played a crucial role in evolution of the vertebrate phylum. Data that analyse neural crest ontogeny in murine and zebrafish embryos have been included in this revision. This revised edition also takes advantage of recent advances in our understanding of markers of neural crest cell subpopulations, and a full chapter is now devoted to cell lineage analysis. The major research breakthrough since the first edition has been the introduction of molecular biology to neural crest research, enabling an elucidation of many molecular mechanisms of neural crest development. This book is essential reading for students and researchers in developmental biology, cell biology, and neuroscience.

I am pleased to include this book as Volume 6 of Developmental Biology: A Comprehensive Synthesis. It has been edited by two of the foremost investiga tors in the study of genomic adaptability. lowe a special debt of gratitude to Dr. Marie A. DiBerardino, who developed the concept of the volume. Dr. DiBerar dino is also a very active member of the editorial board for this series. Much of the success of this series is due to her valuable advice. This series was established to create comprehensive treatises on specific topics in developmental biology. Such volumes serve a useful role in develop mental biology, since it is a very diverse field that receives contributions from a wide variety of disciplines. This series is a meeting ground for the various practitioners of this science, facilitating an integration of heterogeneous infor mation on specific topics. Each volume is intended to provide the conceptual basis for a comprehen sive understanding of its topic as well as analysis of the key experiments upon which that understanding is based. The specialist in any aspect of developmen tal biology should understand the experimental background of the field and be able to place that body of information in context to ascertain where additional research would be fruitful. At that point, the creative process generates new experiments. This series is intended to be a vital link in that process of learning and discovery."

It is a source of great satisfaction to us that a Second Edition of this treatise should be called for, especially because it has given us the opportunity to produce, we believe, a better book. Eighteen chapters, amounting to one-third of the whole, are new, and of these, 13 deal with subjects not covered at all in the First Edition. We have paid more attention to embryonic and fetal growth, with chapters on cell differentiation (Lehtonen and Saxen), embryonic growth (O'Rahilly and Muller), control of fetal size (Snow), regulation of fetal growth (D'Ercole and Underwood), and ultrasonic studies offetal growth (Meire). At last the data are available for a chapter on the evolution of the human growth curve, by Eliz- abeth Watts. Large parts of the endocrine section have been rewritten (by Michael Preece, and by William Crowley and Margaret Wierman), and the genetics section has been largely recast, with new contributions by William Mueller and Ronald Wilson. Reynaldo Marto- rell has contributed a new chapter on growth in developing countries, and Tanner discusses growth surveys and standards as well as catch-up growth. Finally, there are two new chap- ters dealing with growth as a monitor of the health of populations-one by Tadeusz Bie- licki, considering the contemporary scene, and the other by Robert Fogel, on the contri- bution that such studies are making to the economic history of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The subject of this book is reproduction-specifically, the interplay between reproductive physiology (especially neural and endocrine events) and behavior. In presenting this topic, there are two expository goals. The first is to study repro- duction at all of the major levels of biological organization-from the molecular (e. g. , hormone receptors in the brain), through the cellular (e. g. , ovarian morphogene- sis), systemic (e. g. , operation of the hypothalamo-pituitary-ovarian axis), and the organismic levels of organization. Analogously, behavior is treated from the most molecular, elementary, and fundamental components (e. g. , copulatory reflexes), through behavior in the reproductive dyad (e. g. , analysis of female sexual behav- ior), to complex social behavior (e. g. , the interaction of social context and behav- ioral sex differences). To the extent that these levels of biological and behavioral organization rep- resent a "vertical axis" in behavioral neurobiology, a second goal is to treat the "horizontal axis" of biological organization, viz. , time. There are, therefore, treat- ments of evolutionary origins (e. g. , a phylogenetic survey of psychosexual differ- entiation), genetic origins in the individual (e. g. , sexual organogenesis), ontoge- netic development (e. g. , behavioral sexual differentiation), and the immediate physiological precursors of behavior (e. g. , hormonal and nonhormonal initiation of maternal behavior). In addition to tracing the origins of reproduction and reproductive behavior, one extends the time-line from the behavior to its physio- logical consequences (e. g. , neuroendocrine consequences of sexual behavior).

HOWARD C. TAYLOR, JR. Medicine, through its long history, has continually striven to enlarge its scope. Success in these endeavors has come in sudden bursts with long intervals of relative quiescence between. As a result of the spectacular discoveries in the basic sciences during the last decades, medicine is again in a period of revolutionary advance in many fields. One of these is the subject of this report, "The Intrauterine Patient." Until recently the fetus signalized his presence only by the mother's enlarging abdomen and by his own movements, perceived by the preg nant woman herself and evident to the examining midwife and physician. Later, the sounds of the fetal heart heard by auscultation and the varia tions in its rate became the single important means by which the welfare of the fetus might be roughly determined and threats to his survival per haps detected. Otherwise, the fetus remained isolated, his condition unknown and any therapy consequent on diagnosis, except for the induc tion or termination of labor, nonexistent."

The aimoftheHypospadiasand Genital Symposium, held at theUniversityof California,SanFrancisco,wastoprovideaforumforauthoritativeinvestigatorswhoare activelyinvolvedinthevariousdisciplineswhichdefinetheleadingedgesofhypospadias and genital research. It is important for such investigators to continue to meet for the purpose of discussing the latest developments in their individual fields, to analyze the significanceofcurrent research, to discuss new tactics for unresolved problems and to develop new theories andapproaches asneeded. The two day conference on hypospadiasandgenitaldevelopment research was organizedintothreesections: 1)HumanStudies;2)MechanismofGenitalDevelopment; and 3) Endocrine Disruptors and Sexual Dimorphism in the Animal Kingdom. Each sessionwasintroducedbyanexpertmoderatorfollowedtheinvitedspeakerswithtimefor extensiveinteractionbetweeninvestigators. Thisbookdocumentstheproceedingsofthe HypospadiasandGenitalDevelopmentSymposium. Iwould especially like to thank Kari Gaudette for editorial assistants, Cynthia Ashe, Selcuk Yucel, Antonio Souza and the administrative staffinthe Departmentof Urology. Ihopeyoufindthisresourceuseful. Laurence S. Baskin,M. D. ProgramChair ChiefPediatricUrology UCSF vii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Supportforthissymposiumisgratefullyacknowledged TheNationalInstituteofHealthGrant#R13DK*HDS997 UCSFDepartmentofUrology AmericanUrologicAssociation CONTENTS Introduction...1 SECTIONI. HUMANSTUDIES EpidemiologyofHypospadias...*...*...25 J. DavidErickson EndocrineEvaluationofHypospadias...31 G. HyunandT. Kolon EndocrineAbnormalitiesinBoyswithHypospadias...45 R. I. Silver GeneticandClinicalStudiesonHypospadias...***...**...*...73 A. Nordenskjold SECTIONII. MECHANISMOFGENITALDEVELOPMENT DevelopmentofthePenileUrethra. . 87 G. CunhaandL. Baskin AnatomicalStudiesoftheMouseGenitalTubercle...103 L. Baskin,W. Liu,J. Bastacky,andS. Yucel AnatomicalStudiesoftheFibroblastGrowthFactor-l0Mutant,Sonic HedgeHogMutant,andAndrogenReceptorMutantMouseGenital Tubercle...*. **. . 123 S. Yllcel,W. Liu,DCordero,A. Donjacour,G. Cunha,andL. Baskin DevelopmentalGeneticsofHypospadias...149 M. Cohn xiii xiv Contents DevelopmentoftheMouseExternalGenitalia: UniqueModelof Organogenesis...159 K. Suzuki, K. Shiota,Y. Zhang,L. Lei,andG. Yamada NewConceptsontheDevelopmentoCtheVagina...173 E. Shapiro. H. Huang,andX. R. Wu SECTIONIII. ENDOCRINEDISRUPTORSANDSEXUAL DIMORPHISMINTHEANIMALKINGDOM EndocrineDisruptionOverview: AreMalesatRisk? 189 T. Colburn EndocrineDisruptionandHypospadias...203 G. Steinhardt Toxicant-InducedHypospadiasintheMaleRat * 217 L. E. Gray. . I. Ostby,J. Fun,C. Wolf,C. Lambright,V. Wilson, and N. Noreiga MasculinizationofFemaleMammals: LessonsfromNature...243 N. J. PI:H'candS. Glickman Index...255 SectionI Introduction HYPOSPADIAS LaurenceS. Baskin* M. D. ,FAAP 1.

The overall scope of this new series will be to evolve an understanding of the genetic basis of (1) how early mesoderm commits to cells of a heart lineage that progressively and irreversibly assemble into a segmented, primary heart tube that can be remodeled into a four-chambered organ, and (2) how blood vessels are derived and assembled both in the heart and in the body. Our central aim is to establish a four-dimensional, spatiotemporal foundation for the heart and blood vessels that can be genetically dissected for function and mechanism. Since Robert DeHaan's seminal chapter "Morphogenesis of the Vertebrate Heart" published in Organogenesis (Holt Rinehart & Winston, NY) in 1965, there have been surprisingly few books devoted to the subject of cardiovascular mor phogenesis, despite the enormous growth of interest that occurred nationally and internationally. Most writings on the subject have been scholarly compilations of the proceedings of major national or international symposia or multiauthored volumes, often without a specific theme. What is missing are the unifying concepts that can make sense out of a burgeoning database of facts. The Editorial Board of this new series believes the time has come for a book series dedicated to cardio vascular morphogenesis that will serve not only as an important archival and didac tic reference source for those who have recently come into the field but also as a guide to the evolution of afield that is clearly coming of age.

This volume comprises normal tables (description of normal development) for protozoa and invertebrates widely used in developmental biology studies. The species chosen reflect their advantages for laboratory studies, the information avail able, and their availability for experimentation. Chapter 11, which contains the normal tables for the starfish Asterina pectinifera, was written specially for this edi tion, which is the invertebrate section of the revised and augmented translation of Ob"ekty Biologii Razvitiya published in Russian in 1975 as a volume in the series of monographs Problemy Biologii Razyitiya (Problems of Developmental Biology) by Nauka Publishers, Moscow. The description of every species is preceded by an introduction in which the advantages of working with the particular animal are stated and the problems stud ied (with the main references) are outlined. Data are also provided on its taxonomic status and distribution of the animal, and conditions of keeping the adult animals in laboratory. Methods of obtaining gametes, methods of artificial fertilization, meth ods of rearing embryos and larvae, and tables of normal development are also given."

The World Congress of In Vitro Fertilization and Alternate Assisted Reproduction, held in Jerusalem, Israel, 2-7 April, 1989, was the sixth in the sequence of these Congresses, but was the first to emphasize the major importance and the place of assisted reproductive technologies in the treatment of infertility. The eternal City of Jerusalem witnessed the gathering of more than 1500 participants from allover the world who shared and exchanged knowledge and up-to-date experience in this ever-evolving field. The high quality scientific contributions to the Congress culminated in the publication of this Proceedings. It embraces all-important aspects in the field of in vitro fertilization and alternate assisted reproduction. Papers on controversies and diversities of methods to stimulate the ovaries, imaging techniques, basic research and state-of-the-art papers on ovarian physiology, the role of GnRH and its analog, clinical aspects of IVF treatment and cryopreservation, up-to-date techniques in assisted reproductive technologies that are quickly developing in conjunction with IVF, were included. When should IVF be preferable to surgery? What are the ex pected up-to-date world results and what are the psychological, moral, ethical and religious implications? These are all the concerns of the treating team and are addressed here. Male factor infertility remains a frustrating problem, but advances in the understanding of sperm-egg interaction, sperm evaluation and preparation are reported. Micromanipulation emerges as a possible alternative to bring some relief to this problem, but it also promises to be central in promoting the field of prenatal genetic analysis."

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.

With the emergence of the new field of evolutionary developmental biology we are witnessing a renaissance of Darwin s insights 150 years after his Origin of Species. Thus far, the exciting findings from evo-devo have only been trickling into college courses and into the domain of non-specialists. With its focus on the human organism, Quirks of Human Anatomy opens the floodgates by stating the arguments of evo-devo in plain English, and by offering a cornucopia of interesting case studies and examples. Its didactic value is enhanced by 24 schematic diagrams that integrate a host of disparate observations, by its Socratic question-and-answer format, and by its unprecedented compilation of the literature. By framing the hows of development in terms of the whys of evolution, it lets readers probe the deepest questions of biology. Readers will find the book not only educational but also enjoyable, as it revels in the fun of scientific exploration.

Following on from the success of his two previous books, Remarkable Mathematicians and Remarkable Physicists, Ioan James now profiles 38 remarkable biologists from the last 400 years. The emphasis is on their varied life-stories, not on the details of their achievements, but when read in sequence their biographies, which are organised chronologically, convey in human terms something of the way in which biology has developed over the years. Scientific and biological detail is kept to a minimum, inviting any reader interested in biology to follow this easy path through the subject s modern development.

Many complex molecular interactions are involved in the development of the mammalian brain. Molecules serving as guidance cues for migratory cells, growing axons and for recognition of postsynaptic targets are a major topic for research because they are directly involved in the formation of neuronal circuits, thus creating the foundation for subsequent functional refinement through interactions with the environment. In addition, most guidance cue molecules are also involved in plasticity, damage repair and regeneration in the adult brain.

This volume reviews current knowledge on major classes of molecules involved in: guidance of growing axons; tau proteins involved in the establishment of axonal polarity, outgrowth and contact recognition; gangliosides and lectins involved in neuronal migration, neurite outgrowth and contact recognition; and myelin molecules that inhibit nerve regeneration.

Early embryonic loss is a continuing social and economic global problem. In human populations the estimates of interruptions early in pregnancy range from 35-60%. In animal husbandry (swine, ruminants) fully 30% of pregnancies fail to survive early events of gestation. The futility associated with this persistant high risk is even more unsettling because of advances made in assisted reproductive technology which, although this very selective methodology has added to our knowledge of embryo-endometrial interactions, has resulted in a birth rate of only 14%. These studies have instigated comparisons of the live relative contributions of the embryo and the uterus to the outcome of pregnancy. These analyses have shown that we have learned significantly less about the role of the uterus in deciding the outcome of either natural or assisted pregnancies. In 1979 a quotation by George Corner was used to set the tone of a meeting that was devoted to discussion of the cellular and molecular aspects of implantation. In spite of the proliferation in research activity which occurred in the following 15 years our real understanding of the embryo transfer process has fallen short of our expectations. We use the Corner quotation, once again, to preface this symposium so that we may recall that the fundamental nature of the process which regulates embryo-endometrial interactions still escapes us.

The auditory system has a remarkable ability to adjust to an ever-changing environment. The six review chapters that comprise Plasticity of the Central Auditory System cover a spectrum of issues concerning this ability to adapt, defined by the widely applicable term "plasticity." With chapters focusing on the development of the cochlear nucleus, the mammalian superior olivary complex, plasticity in binaural hearing, plasticity in the auditory cortex, neural plasticity in bird songs, and plasticity in the insect auditory system, this volume represents much of the most current research in this field. The volume is thorough enough to stand alone, but is closely related a previous SHAR volume, Development of the Auditory System (Volume 9) by Rubel, Popper, and Fay. The book fully addresses the difficulties, challenges, and complexities of this topic as it applies to the auditory development of a wide variety of species.