The editors of this volume argue that future research into complex animal societies and intelligence will change the perception of animals as gene machines, programmed to act in particular ways and perhaps elevate them to a status much closer to our own. At a time when humans are perceived more biologically than ever before, and animals as more cultural, are we about to witness the dawn of a truly unified social science, one with a distinctly cross-specific perspective?

This book launches a new continuing series in developmental biology. Any new publishing venture in science can only be justified if it satisfies a need and fulfills that need in an exemplary way. I believe that there is an acute need for comprehensive treatises on specialized topics in developmental biology-especially because this is a very diverse field that receives con tributions from a wide variety of disciplines. It is difficult to remain abreast of progress in multifaceted topics and to understand how the various aspects of a topic interrelate. The volumes that will comprise this series are designed to facilitate those processes. Each volume of this series will attempt to convey the current status of research and thought on a specific topic in development, place current research within historical perspective, and lay the intellectual groundwork for future research. These volumes are intended to provide an in-depth background on these topics for advanced undergraduates, graduate stu dents, and senior scientists. An investigator considering research in one of these areas will get an overview of the field as well as discover the status of recent research in the area."

Leo Buss expounds a general theory of development through a simple hierarchical extension of the synthetic theory of evolution. He perceives innovations in development to have evolved in ancestral organisms where the germ line was not closed to genetic variation arising during the course of ontogeny.

Originally published in 1988.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

"Fertility Preservation in Males: Emerging Technologies and Clinical Applications" contains a selection of the valuable chapters and protocols of Seli and Agarwal s previously published hardcover text "Fertility Preservation: Emerging Technologies and Clinical Applications." Newly available in this convenient and affordable softcover format, this practical reference guide provides an update on options for fertility preservation in men, while also discussing important related epidemiologic, ethical, medico-legal, psychological, and social aspects. Using a format that combines concise scientific background with practical methodological information and easy-to-grasp algorithms, the chapters all conform to a uniform structure, including step by step protocol of laboratory procedures, key issues in commentary and a list of references. The result is a unique resource for reproductive endocrinologists, urologists, embryologists, reproductive scientists, and oncologists."

Thanks to enormous scientific efforts of the last decades, in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro production (IVP) have now been introduced successfully in the practice of human infertility treatment and cattle breeding programs. This comprehensive book allows us to bridge the knowledge from both biomedical and veterinary fields of research. For the first time, studies concerning the human embryo as well as embryos from domestic species are brought together. The central theme of the book is "the assessment of mammalian embryo quality." In 15 chapters, written by well-known scientists, different aspects of the assessment of mammalian embryo quality are summarized. Non-invasive and invasive techniques to evaluate embryo quality are separated in two parts. In addition the book is provided with appendices on practical aspects and, thus, the book should be present in each laboratory for IVF and IVP.

The survival of the human species has improved significantly in modern times. During the last century, the mean survival of human populations in developed countries has increased more than during the preceding 5000 years. This improvement in survival was accompanied by an increase in the number of active years. In other words, the increase in mean life span was accompanied by an increase in health span. This is now accentuated by progress in medicine reducing the impact of physiologic events such as menopause and of patho logical processes such as atherosclerosis. Up to now, research on aging, whether theoretical or experimental, has not contributed to improvement in human survival. Actually, there is a striking contrast between these significant modifications in survival and the present knowledge of the mechanisms of human aging. Revealed by this state of affairs are the profound disagreements between gerontologists in regard to the way oflooking at the aging process. The definition of aging itself is difficult to begin with because of the variability of how it occurs in different organisms."

Dictyostelia are soil amoebae capable of extraordinary feats of survival, motility, chemotaxis, and development. Characterised by their ability to transform from a single-celled organism into an elaborate assemblage of thousands of synchronously-moving cells, Dictyostelids are often referred to as 'social amoebae', and have been the subjects of serious study since the 1930s. Research in this area has been instrumental in understanding many problems in cellular biology. Beginning with the history of Dictyostelids and discussing each stage of their development, this book considers the evolution of this unique organism, analyses the special properties of the Dictyostelid genome, and presents in detail the methods available, at the time of the book's original publication in 2001, to manipulate their genes. Representing the synthesis of such material and with an emphasis on combining classical experiments with modern molecular findings, this book will be essential for researchers and graduates in developmental and cellular biology.

''A valuable resource for those concerned with experimental teratology and risk assessment and those requiring general information about the causes of birth defects. The treatment of these issues is sophisticated, succinct, and logical.'' --- American Scientist, from a review of a previous volume The current volume covers intergenerational factors in pregnancy outcome, the thresholds for developmental toxicants, and four other subjects.

Pharmacokinetic variability of contraceptive steroids is a relatively under-explored area of contraceptive research, and hardly a common point of discussion among those who plan and deliver family planning services. Nevertheless, numerous independent studies over the last 15 years have indicated that women in different regions of the world vary in their pharmacokinetic response to contraceptive steroids. The causes of such variability are not known, but it has important consequences for contraceptive effectiveness. It may also offer insight to the basis of contraceptive side-effects. The impetus for this volume was to collect documentation of pharmacokinetic variability of contraceptive steroids, and to explore both the possible causes and implications of these data. Factors known to affect steroid pharmacokinetics, such as concurrent use of specific medications, are reviewed by Back and Orme. Other factors known to affect endogenous steroid dynamics are presented in chapters by Bradlow, Longcope, Goldin and Snow, because of their possible role in contraceptive steroid pharmacokinetics.

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 morpho genesis, despite the enormous growth of interest that occurred nationally and inter nationally. Most writings on the subject have been scholarly compilations of the proceedings of major national or international symposia or multi authored volumes, without a specific theme. What is missing are the unifying concepts that can often 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 cardiovascular mor not only as an important archival and didactic reference phogenesis that will serve source for those who have recently come into the field but also as a guide to the evo lution of a field that is clearly coming of age.

From a review of an earlier volume: 'Both the experimental and the human aspects of teratology are presented in this comprehensive text by a stellar group of internationally recognized scientists and clinicians....A valuable resource for those concerned with experimental teratology and risk assessment and those requiring general information about the causes of birth defects. The treatment of these issues is sophisticated, succinct, and logical.'-American Scientist

Reproduction is, it would appear, a very simple biological event: the result of an act of love. In actual fact, it has always been, and still continues to be, one of the most complex, yet at the same time, most fascinating, problems, with which Science has ever been engaged. Physiopathology of human reproduction has always made use of investigations of a morphological nature, perhaps on account of the need to "see inside" the reproductive apparatus or within the gonads themselves in order to better understand how they function. Observation of spermatozoa practically coincided with the discovery of the microscope, and histological study of the testis and ovary was, for a very long time, the only means available with which to closely follow the evolution of gametes destined to their meeting. Improvement of techniques resulting from the evolution of endocrinology of reproduction has only apparently put aside morphological techniques, whilst at the same time there has been a gradual development of ultrastructural techniques, on the one hand, and, on the other, macroscopic diagnostic systems through images.

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.

"Who would believe that so small a space could contain the images of all the universe?" Leonardo da Vinci The last years of the 20th century have found the discipline of Developmental Biology returning to its original position at the forefront of biological re search. This progress can be attributed to the burgeoning knowledge base on molecules and gene families, and to the power of the molecular genetic ap proach. Topping the list of organ systems which have provided the most significant advances would have to be the eye. The vertebrate eye was one of the classic embryologic models, used to demonstrate many important prin ciples, including the concepts of inductive tissue interactions first put forth in the early 1900s. Within the last decade of this century, a return to some of the old questions with the new approaches has put eye development back into the limelight. I find this a highly appropriate topic for a book which aims to spark research for the new millennium. We begin with a chapter that discusses the anatomy of eye development, providing the basic reference information for the chapters that follow. A novel aspect of this introduction is the connection made between develop mental strategies and the eye's optical function. What also emerges from this chapter is the number of important eye structures that have barely been touched by the modern developmental biologist. Work on cornea and ante rior chamber development has lagged behind lens and retina.

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.

A growing majority of women in the western hemisphere have been delaying initiation of childbearing to later in life. Consequently, more than ever before, women in their late 30s to early 40s are attempting their first pregnancy. Since the incidence of most cancers increases with age, delayed childbearing results in more female cancer survivors interested in fertility preservation." Fertility Preservation in Females: Emerging Technologies and Clinical Applications" contains a selection of the valuable chapters and protocols of Seli and Agarwal s previously published hardcover text "Fertility Preservation: Emerging Technologies and Clinical Applications." Newly available in this convenient and affordable softcover format, this unique and practical reference guide for reproductive endocrinologists, gynecologists, embryologists, reproductive scientists, and oncologists provides strategies for fertility preservation in women, using a format that combines concise scientific background with practical methodological information and easy-to-grasp algorithms."

The main theme of this monograph - conditions of regenera tion of organs in mammals - reflects an area of increasing empha sis which permeates much current Soviet research on regeneration. The introduction of this theme goes back about 25 years, and empha sis on the influence of environmental conditions upon regenerative processes has fluctuated until the mid-1960s, when the viewpoints on this subject were established in much the same form as they are expressed in this book. For years, Russian regeneration research has been charac terized by the presence of several dominant and often conflicting schools of thought. Since an acquaintance with these makes the in terpretation of many of the theoretical implications of this book, particularly in the introductory and concluding chapters, consider ably clearer, those not familiar with the Russian literature might profit by reading my brief survey of this field (Carlson, B. M., 1968. Re generation research in the Soviet Union, Anat. Rec., 160:665-674)."

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

"Glory to the science of embryology " So Johannes Holtfreter closed his letter to this editor when he granted permission to publish his article in this volume. And glory there is: glory in the phenomenon of animals developing their complex morphologies from fertilized eggs, and glory in the efforts of a relatively small group of scientists to understand these wonderful events. Embryology is unique among the biological disciplines, for it denies the hegemony of the adult and sees value (indeed, more value) in the stages that lead up to the fully developed organism. It seeks the origin, and not merely the maintenance, of the body. And if embryology is the study of the embryo as seen over time, the history of embryology is a second-order derivative, seeing how the study of embryos changes over time. As Jane Oppenheimer pointed out, "Sci ence, like life itself, indeed like history, itself, is a historical phenomenon. It can build itself only out of its past. " Thus, there are several ways in which embryology and the history of embryology are similar. Each takes a current stage of a developing entity and seeks to explain the paths that brought it to its present condition. Indeed, embryology used to be called Entwicklungsgeschichte, the developmental history of the organism. Both embryology and its history interpret the interplay between internal factors and external agents in the causation of new processes and events."