The Human Embryo in vitro explores the ways in which UK law engages with embryonic processes under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended), the intellectual basis of which has not been reconsidered for almost thirty years. McMillan argues that in regulating 'the embryo' - that is, a processual liminal entity in itself - the law is regulating for uncertainty. This book offers a fuller understanding of how complex biological processes of development and growth can be better aligned with a legal framework that purports to pay respect to the embryo while also allowing its destruction. To do so it employs an anthropological concept, liminality, which is itself concerned with revealing the dynamics of process. The implications of this for contemporary regulation of artificial reproduction are fully explored, and recommendations are offered for international regimes on how they can better align biological reality with social policy and law.

This book is a synopsis of the key facts and concepts of human development. It is intended for students who are taking a human embryology course. The book includes the underlying mechanisms involved in clinically important congenital anomalies that will prove useful to medical and nursing.

Spermatogenesis involves the coordination of a number of signaling pathways, which culminate into production of sperm. Its failure results in male factor infertility, which can be due to hormonal, environmental, genetic or other unknown factors. This book includes chapters on most of the signaling pathways known to contribute to spermatogenesis. Latest research in germ cell signaling like the role of small RNAs in spermatogenesis is also discussed. This book aims to serve as a reference for both clinicians and researchers, explaining possible causes of infertility and exploring various treatment methods for management through the basic understanding of the role of molecular signaling. Key Features Discusses the signaling pathways that contribute to successful spermatogenesis Covers comprehensive information about Spermatogenesis at one place Explores the vital aspects of male fertility and infertility Explains the epigenetic regulation of germ cell development and fertility Highlights the translational opportunities in molecular signaling in testis

This thoroughly revised second edition is an up-to-date overview of the current knowledge of Notch and Notch signaling in embryology and cancer. It discusses this topic from Notch's role in the development of the embryo to the Notch signaling pathway's role in the development of a number of cancers, including breast cancer, malignant melanoma, Non-melanoma skin cancer, intestinal cancer and others. In the years since the previous edition, there have been numerous developments and insights within this rapidly moving field, making this new edition urgently needed. This volume also features discussions of current insights on Notch's role in senescence, the regulation of Notch signaling by microRNAs, Notch's role in the microbiome, diet and its influence on Notch signaling and more. Taken as a whole, with its companion books - Molecular Biology of Notch Signaling and Notch Signaling in Cancer - this is a definitive discussion of the topic, presented by internationally-recognized contributors. Presented in a coherent and accessible structure, this revised and updated second edition is an essential and up-to-date guide for oncologists, embryologists, researchers and advanced students.

The increasing understanding of individual differences in response to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, resulting from genetic and ethnical differences, has increased the potential for individualized treatment for patients, resulting in improved pregnancy and live-birth outcomes. This illustrated book summarizes, and provides updates on, the most recent developments in individualized infertility treatment and embryo selection techniques. Individualization is not only confined to the different steps in the ovarian stimulation process and the luteal phase support, but also to embryo selection techniques, which include, among others, the analysis of embryo development pattern and genetic testing. Chapters cover a multitude of topics, ranging from oocyte maturation and immunological testing to fertilization technique in the IVF laboratory and preparation for optimal endometrial receptivity in cryo cycles. Essential reading for IVF specialists and embryologists in IVF Clinics and also an important text for medical consultants specializing in reproductive medicine, gynecology and embryology.

A collection of objective essays reviewing the principal arguments for and against stem cell research. Among the issues considered are whether stem cell research treats embryos as "commodities," violates the rights of human embryos, or alienates women from their reproductive labor, and whether human embryos are entitled to full membership in the moral community.

Discusses artificial and in vitro fertilization, egg and embryo donation, surrogate mothers, the storage of human semen, eggs, and embryos, and scientific and ethical issues in fertility.

First published in 1959 as the second edition of a 1934 original, this book describes the Western history of embryology from prehistoric concepts of foetal growth through Graeco-Roman antiquity to the close of the eighteenth century. The text is illustrated with plates and diagrams showing the development of scientific understanding over time, first through artistic representations of gestation and later through scientific drawings and sketches. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of medicine.

Founded in 1914, the Department of Embryology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington has made an unparalleled contribution to the biological understanding of embryos and their development. Originally much of the research was carried out through experimental embryology, but by the second half of the twentieth century, tissue and cell cultures were providing histological information about development, and biochemistry and molecular genetics have taken center stage. This final volume in a series of five histories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington provides a history of embryology and reproductive biology spanning a hundred years. It provides important insights into the evolution of both scientific ideas and the public perception of embryo research, concluding with a reflection on current debates.

Carl Edward Sagan's (1934-1996) one of the famous quotation was "Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people." From past to date, well-known molecules, enzymes, proteins, lipids and carbohydrates are studied in the pathogenesis of several diseases both as a diagnostic/prognostic biomarker and therapeutic agent. The underlying mechanism of unexplained diseases and failure of therapies are frequently studied with well-known biomarkers, but remain unclear in many cases. As Dr. Sagan said other keys are still waiting to be known in some forgotten corner of a body universe, we find strength to propose that one of them can be the growth factor with cytokine activity named "Midkine" This book summarizes the extensive up-to-date literature overeview with the lastest work of experts about midkine in a detailed format that conveys its role as both a pathologic factor and therapeutic agent.

This comprehensive review of the factors that affect the harvesting and preparation of oocytes and the management of embryos will allow practitioners to make evidence-based decisions for successful IVF. The book reviews and re-considers the value of strategies and outcomes in the management of fertility and conception rates, centred on the production of oocytes, and successful development of the embryo. Authored by leading experts in the field, chapters engage with treatments and strategies that affect the production of oocytes and embryos, optimizing outcomes in the management of female fertility, conception rates, and live births. This vital guide covers controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, the role of AMH in determining ovarian reserve, and primary stimulation agents and the use of adjuncts. Integral for all clinicians and embryologists working in reproductive medicine units, readers are provided with evidence-based, comprehensive advice and review of all factors affecting the management of oocytes and the embryo that are vital for successful IVF cycles.

Leading gender and science scholar Sarah S. Richardson charts the untold history of the idea that a woman's health and behavior during pregnancy can have long-term effects on her descendants' health and welfare. The idea that a woman may leave a biological trace on her gestating offspring has long been a commonplace folk intuition and a matter of scientific intrigue, but the form of that idea has changed dramatically over time. Beginning with the advent of modern genetics at the turn of the twentieth century, biomedical scientists dismissed any notion that a mother-except in cases of extreme deprivation or injury-could alter her offspring's traits. Consensus asserted that a child's fate was set by a combination of its genes and post-birth upbringing. Over the last fifty years, however, this consensus was dismantled, and today, research on the intrauterine environment and its effects on the fetus is emerging as a robust program of study in medicine, public health, psychology, evolutionary biology, and genomics. Collectively, these sciences argue that a woman's experiences, behaviors, and physiology can have life-altering effects on offspring development. Tracing a genealogy of ideas about heredity and maternal-fetal effects, this book offers a critical analysis of conceptual and ethical issues-in particular, the staggering implications for maternal well-being and reproductive autonomy-provoked by the striking rise of epigenetics and fetal origins science in postgenomic biology today.

Public attention on embryo research has never been greater. Modern reproductive medicine technology and the use of embryos to generate stem cells ensure that this will continue to be a topic of debate and research across many disciplines. This multidisciplinary book explores the concept of a 'healthy' embryo, its implications on the health of children and adults, and how perceptions of what constitutes child and adult health influence the concept of embryo 'health'. The concept of human embryo health is considered from preconception to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis to recent foetal surgical approaches. Burgeoning capacities in both genetic and reproductive science and their clinical implications have catalysed the necessity to explore the concept of a 'healthy' embryo. The authors are from five countries and 13 disciplines in the social sciences, humanities, biological sciences and medicine, ensuring that the book has a broad coverage and approach.

A basic understanding of human genetics is vital for all those working in the field of assisted human reproduction. Genetic makeup can hamper reproduction and insight into this is making genetic diagnosis and counselling increasingly important. This fully updated textbook continues the clear structure of the original edition, beginning with a chapter on the basics of genetics and cytogenetics. Genetic causes of infertility and the effect of epigenetics and transposons on fertility are discussed in detail. Several new chapters are included in this edition, reflecting the advances of the field, including preconception genetic analysis and screening in IVF and mitochondrial genetics. Combining genetics, reproductive biology and medicine, this is an essential text for practitioners in reproductive medicine and geneticists involved in the field looking to improve their knowledge of the subject and provide outstanding patient care.

Founded in 1914, the Department of Embryology of the Carnegie Institution of Washington has made an unparalleled contribution to the biological understanding of embryos and their development. Originally much of the research was carried out through experimental embryology, but by the second half of the twentieth century, tissue and cell cultures were providing histological information about development, and biochemistry and molecular genetics have taken center stage. This final volume in a series of five histories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington provides a history of embryology and reproductive biology spanning a hundred years. It provides important insights into the evolution of both scientific ideas and the public perception of embryo research, concluding with a reflection on current debates.

The fetus occupies a critical phase during human development. It is at this stage when the body systems that will support us throughout our lives begin to face up to the challenge of life outside the womb. While the fetus can demonstrate a remarkably robust response to challenges in the uterus, it is also an exquisitely sensitive phase of development. It is now well recognized that disturbances to the materno-fetal environment can influence and even undermine our state of health well into adulthood. This exciting new publication provides a valuable insight into fetal growth and development across all the main body systems, and examines the influence of the materno-fetal environment on adult-onset diseases. This text contains additional chapters on the embryo, placenta, and parturition, to insure that this is a fully self-contained introduction. This book is written by world-renowned experts from leading centers of excellence and will be an invaluable introduction for students of medicine, reproductive biology, and human biology.

Relevant to students, academics and practitioners across the globe, this original volume highlights contemporary issues associated with assisted reproduction and embryology and critically analyzes the law surrounding human reproduction in the light of case law and technological developments since the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (HFE Act) Act was passed in 1990.

Tackling issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, the authors identify and evaluate areas that have provoked intense public and academic debate as well as those where further or renewed regulation is needed. Focusing primarily on the legal and ethical issues involved in regulating this area in the UK, which is at the forefront of developing legislation in this area, this book has international relevance as many countries have used the UK as a model for their own legislation.

This text is suitable for a broad range of readers, including legal academics, law students and practitioners interested in the areas of medical/healthcare law and ethics, bioethics and moral philosophy, family law, sociology and reproductive medicine and genetics.

Investigations on anatomical specimens have demonstrated that the subchondral mineralization does indeed show regular distribution patterns from which conclusions about the mechanical situation within an individual joint may be drawn. Since radiographical densitometry and histological methods are only available for determining the adaptive reaction of the bone to the mechanical situation in a joint after death, the information obtained applies only to an end situation and tells us nothing about the development of the changes with time. Furthermore, investigations carried out on human specimens by radiographical densitometry mostly apply to samples of a particular age, since such specimens can be acquired only from departments of pathology, forensic medicine or anatomy.

The German verbs verwerfen, nicht implantieren or abtAten have the same denotations when used in reference to dealing with artificially-inseminated embryos; however, the meanings of these words are respectively different. The book examines, against the background of the debate about the introduction of pre-implantation diagnostics in Germany, the role of linguistic naminga " so-called thematizationsa " in the public sphere. The study shows that these thematizations not only reflect linguistic controversy, but at the same time, precisely mirror the current societal debates.

1. 1 The Cytokeratins as a Member of the Intermediate Filament Protein Family Intermediate filaments together with microtubules and actin microfilaments make up the filamentous cytoskeleton found in the cytoplasm of vertebrate cells. Recently, intermediate filament proteins have also been described in invertebrates, but their chemistry is not yet known (for review see Biessmann and Walter 1989). These filaments (about 10 nm in diameter) used to be categorized into five classes - cytokeratin, vimentin, desmin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurofilaments (NFs). The expression of these proteins follows differentiation-dependent rules: cytokeratins occur in epi- thelial cells, NF proteins are expressed in neurons, GFAP in astrocytes and some nonglial cells, desmin in smooth muscle cells and in striated myocytes, and vimentin in mesenchymal cells (for review see Lazarides 1980; Osborn and Weber 1983). Recent investigations including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein sequencing and peptide mapping have redefined the intermediate filaments into five types or subfamilies (type I, acidic cytokeratins; type II, basic cytokeratins; type III, vimentin, desmin, peripherin, and GFAP; type IV, the three NF proteins; and type V, the nuclear lamins (for review see Nagle 1988). A new type VI intermediate filament protein, nestin, has been described in the developing nervous system (Lendahl et al. 1990), and is initially co- expressed with vimentin in neuroepithelial stem cells (Steinert and Liem 1990). The cytokeratins are the most complex subgroup of intermediate filament proteins.

This work attempts to sketch a coherent picture of the amniotic fluid com partment, its borders, and the interactions occurring between fetus and amniotic fluid, for it is this compartment which for 10 months provides the habitat in which the fetus and its functions develop. As a matter of course, our mor phological studies had to be limited to the situation prevailing at the full term of pregnancy. This portrayal purposely neglects the placenta, which is already the subject of an extraordinary profusion of literature. The other aspects of the embryonic sac have been overshadowed to date by the preeminent role 2 of the placenta, although they represent around 1200cm of contact surface in the maternal compartment. From our point of view, the fetal membranes not only act as a seal or simply a diffusion barrier, but actively participate in the exchange processes between compartments. The author also took pains to compile (albeit incompletely) the widely scattered findings reported in clinical journals in order to present them as a well-rounded summary of the mor phological picture and the functional happenings involved in fetal develop ment. The author's own studies of a specifically histomorphological nature provided the groundwork for this synopsis. A special branch of embryology, embryonal physiology, is treated only incidentally in today's embryology textbooks. This work offers several encounters with this field, which should help make it the focus of greater interest. 2 Definition of Terms Fig. 1.

The advent of ultrasound scans has made it possible to observe the fetus undisturbed in its natural surroundings. In this remarkable book, Dr Alessandra Piontelli describes in moving detail her observations of the behaviour of several children from very early stages in the womb, through birth, to infancy and childhood. By drawing on her experiences as a child psychotherapist and psychoanalyst as well as on her observational research, she is able to investigate issues relating to individuality, psychological birth and the influence of maternal emotions during pregnancy.
The first study of its kind, From Fetus to Child shows how observational and psychoanalytic data can offer different but complementary insights in attempting to answer fundamental questions about human development.

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In 1953, at the grand age of 92, Ferdinand Hochstetter submitted his famous collection of photographs of human embryos entitled: "Uber die Entwicklung der Formverhaltnisse des menschlichen Antlitzes." Together with others papers, this contribution was published in 1955, a year after Hochstetter's death. In unbroken combativeness, Hochstetter discussed his results with regard to those of earlier embryologists and to those of his own lifetime. Thus, in an obituary, Elze (1956) reported about one of Hochstetter's letters from the year of his death (1954): "nur einige blodsinnige Behauptungen, die Fischel in seiner Ent- wicklung des Menschen verzapft hat, mochte ich vielleicht noch annageln," which may be translated as: "I would just like to pin down a few silly assertions that Fischel made in his Entwicklung des Menschen." In the first two paragraphs of his paper Hochstetter stated (in German, here translated freely): When I decided to write a detailed paper about the development of the morphology of the human face, too [in addition to a paper about morphology of the extremities in human embryos], I was especially moved by the fact that in none of the German manuals and textbooks on embryology known to me is there to be found a presentation of the development of the human face which could be considered - eveJ;l to a limited extent - rich in details, true, sufficiently illustrated, easy to understand by students as well as by scien-