This series of volumes represents a comprehensive and integrated treatment of reproduction in vertebrates from fishes of all sorts through mammals. It is designed to provide a readable, coordinated description of reproductive basics in each group of vertebrates as well as an introduction to the latest trends in reproductive research and our understanding of reproductive events. Whereas each chapter and each volume is intended to stand alone as a review of that topic or vertebrate group, respectively, the volumes are prepared so as to provide a thorough topical treatment across the vertebrates. Terminology has been standardized across the volumes to reduce confusion where multiple names exist in the literature, and a comprehensive glossary of these terms and their alternative names is provided.
*A complete, essential and up to date reference for research scientists working on vertebrate hormones and reproduction - and on animlals as models in human reproductive research.
*Covers the endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, physiology, behaviour and anatomy of vertebrate reproduction.
*Structured coverage of the major themes for all five vertebrate groups allows a consistent treatment for all.
*Special chapters elaborate on features specific to individual vertebrate groups and to comparative aspects, similarities and differences between them.

"The" "Multifunctional Gut of Fish" provides a comprehensive synthesis and an integrative overview of the range of gut functions and their implications for organismal physiology. The highly diversified anatomy and functions of the gut, including nutrient uptake, immune barrier function, salt and water homeostasis and respiration, as well as neuroendocrine actions and control are covered in detail by leading authors. In addition, this volume explores the pronounced implications of gut function for whole animal integrative physiology and compensatory demands for non-gastrointestinal organs. As the first comprehensive reference to discuss the diverse morphological and functional adaptations of the gut, this volume provides an excellent resource for comparative physiologists, aquaculturists and biomedical researchers employing fish as model organisms for mammalian physiology.

Includes chapters dedicated to anatomical and functional features of the gastro-intestinal tract of fish as well as integrative aspects of gut organ function.

Includes in depth coverage of recently recognized implications of feeding on salt homeostasis and acid-base balance.

Provides syntheses of implications of gut function for homeostasis.

Essential text for those interested in the wide diversity of functions performed by the gut.

This cutting-edge resource includes up-to-date information on zebrafish physiology and the tools used to study it, not only as a model species for studies of other vertebrates but with application for studies of human disease and aquatic toxicology. The utility of zebrafish for physiological research is based on several key features including i) a "fully" sequenced genome, ii) rapid ( 3 month) generation times), iii) their capacity to produce large numbers of externally fertilized eggs, iv) optical transparency of embryos and larvae, and v) the applicability of reverse and forward genetics to assess gene function. Gene knockdown in embryos and the production of transgenic strains are now standard techniques being used to assess physiology. This book will be of keen interest not only to the typical readers of Fish Physiology but also to biomedical researchers, toxicologists and developmental biologists.

Key Features
* Integrates and synthesizes the biology of the zebrafish under one cover
* Features contributions from the leading researchers in their fields
* Reaches a wider audience of researchers and biologists with its broad inclusion of subjects relating to zebrafish physiology

This volume comprehensively covers new technologies and methodologies that have appeared for the study of mouse development.

This volume is the first of a 2 part update of volume 225, "Guide to Techniques in Mouse Development," edited by P.M. Wassarman and M.L. DePamphilis and published in 1993.

Comprehensively covers new techniques for the cryopreservation of gametes and embryos, production of transgenic and null (knockout) animals (use of ES cells), generation of conditional/inducible mutant animals, use of gene-trap mutagenesis, analysis of allele-specific expression, use of new reporter constructs, humanizing of transgenic animals, transcript profiling of mouse development, imaging of mouse development, and rederivation of animals and use of mouse genomics.

Guide to Techniques in Mouse Development, Part B, is an authoritative guide to different methods used in enzymology, focusing on investigating mouse development using technological advances. The text provides information regarding the principles of the methods in mouse development, and it offers readers reliable experimental protocols and recipes described comprehensively by leaders in the field of enzymology. The text is divided into three sections and organized into 25 chapters. Below are several concepts covered by the text: Lentivirus transgenesis o Germline modification using mouse stem cells Electroporation Applications of transposons in mouse genetics Functional genomics using transposon systems The use of DNA transposons in detecting cancer genes in mice Recombination, conditional mutagenesis and induction of tamoxifen Genetic fate mapping using recombinases Genetic screens mouse ES cells Gene trap mutagenesis Mouse mutagenesis Self- renewal and pluripotency Transgenic RNAi applications Gene knockdowns Tetracycline-controlled transcription Gene expression profiling of mouse embryos The book is a comprehensive guide for students and professionals in genetics, cytology and molecular biology, who will find this book invaluable for their learning and practice.

Evolutionary biomechanics is the study of evolution through the analysis of biomechanical systems. Its unique advantage is the precision with which physical constraints and performance can be predicted from first principles. Instead of reviewing the entire breadth of the biomechanical literature, a few key examples are explored in depth as vehicles for discussing fundamental concepts, analytical techniques, and evolutionary theory. Each chapter develops a conceptual theme, developing the underlying theory and techniques required for analyses in evolutionary biomechanics. Examples from terrestrial biomechanics, metabolic scaling, and bird flight are used to analyse how physics constrains the design space that natural selection is free to explore, and how adaptive evolution finds solutions to the trade-offs between multiple complex conflicting performance objectives. Evolutionary Biomechanics is suitable for graduate level students and professional researchers in the fields of biomechanics, physiology, evolutionary biology and palaeontology. It will also be of relevance and use to researchers in the physical sciences and engineering.

Birds have colonized almost every terrestrial habitat on the planet - from the poles to the tropics, and from deserts to high mountain tops. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Birds focuses on our current understanding of the unique physiological characteristics of birds that are of particular interest to ornithologists, but also have a wider biological relevance.
An introductory chapter covers the basic avian body plan and their still-enigmatic evolutionary history. The focus then shifts to a consideration of the essential components of that most fundamental of avian attributes: the ability to fly. The emphasis here is on feather evolution and development, flight energetics and aerodynamics, migration, and as a counterpoint, the curious secondary evolution of flightlessness that has occurred in several lineages. This sets the stage for subsequent chapters, which present specific physiological topics within a strongly ecological and environmental framework. These include gas exchange, thermal and osmotic balance, 'classical' life history parameters (male and female reproductive costs, parental care and investment in offspring, and fecundity versus longevity tradeoffs), feeding and digestive physiology, adaptations to challenging environments (high altitude, deserts, marine habitats, cold), and neural specializations (notably those important in foraging, long-distance navigation, and song production).
Throughout the book classical studies are integrated with the latest research findings. Numerous important and intriguing questions await further work, and the book concludes with a discussion of methods (emphasizing cutting-edge technology), approaches, and future research directions.

Much has been written about dolphins and whales, and excellent books exist especially on the charismatic bottlenose dolphins; and killer, humpback, and sperm whales. But detailed studies have been carried out on a handful of other species, and this book summarizes our state of knowledge of a little dolphin the southern hemisphere dusky, and compares its behavioral strategies in different environs. The editors, Bernd and Mel Wursig, began studying duskies in Patagonia Argentina in 1972. Although they have been to many parts of the Earth since then -- including work on Amazon and Yangtze river dolphins, Hawai i for the delicate lovely spinner dolphin, the Arctic for bowhead and gray whale work, and bottlenose dolphins in several milieus -- they have always returned to their first love of unraveling the social patterns and life strategies of duskies that exist in small groups in semi-enclosed bays and as herds of well over one thousand in the open ocean. This book documents the latest research, from their feeding patterns to their acrobatic skills. It is full of scientific facts, with a sense of poetry and wonder of the unknown.
- Only book fully devoted to the southern hemisphere "dusky" dolphin
- Heavily illustrated with charts, figures, tables, and all color photos
- Written by a cadre of experts intimately familiar with dolphin field work
- Written in an accurate yet accessible style for the scientist and natural historian alike"

Baring-Gould's eye-opening history of lycanthropy - the werewolf curse - delves deep into the lore, unearthing various historical cases, several of which date back to Ancient or Medieval times. The concept of a human transforming into a wolf has ancient origins, with several Greek and Roman authors such as Virgil, Ovid, Herodotus and Pliny raising the concept in their poetry and other writings. Rumors of sorcery that could induce a human to change was attributed to magicians in far off places such as Scythia, and such beliefs were widely held. Later, the Norse civilization's mythology introduced lycanthropy and other kinds of transformation. Humans as wolves, bears, birds and other beasts were said to appear in the northern wilds; the Norse God Odin took the form of a bird on regular occasions. Berserker warriors would clad themselves in wolf skins; Bj rn, son of Ulfheoin, was famed for his ability to shift between human and wolf forms.

The study of fish neuroendocrinology has had a significant impact on our general understanding of the functional roles and evolution of a variety of neurochemical messengers and systems. Not only do fish possess unique neuroendocrine features, they have also been and remain an important vertebrate models for the discovery of new neuropeptides. In the last fifty years, neuroendocrinologists have documented a complex and seemingly infinite number of interactions between hormones and nerve structures. Gradually emerging from this knowledge is an understanding of the specific neurohormonal pathways and the messengers responsible for maintaining homeostasis in an aquatic environment and for regulating the functional systems that allow for the highly diverse life histories and reproductive tactics of fish
Despite its recent growth, breadth and unique attributes, there is no single text covering the discipline of fish neuroendocrinology. In fact, other than a few mammalian neuroendocrinology textbooks, there is a serious lack of texts in comparative neuroendocrinology. Currently, information on the anatomical organization and function of the various neuroendocrine systems in fish is only available in original research papers and reviews.
By providing a current and comprehensive volume that highlights the specific properties of fish neuroendocrinology, this book will go beyond being the only reference text for fish neuroendocrinologists and will also serve comparative physiologists, endocrinologists, neuroanatomists and behaviourists interested in understanding the reciprocal actions between the nervous and endocrine systems.

* Highlights the specific properties of fish neuroendocrinology
* Emphasises the range and variety of interactions between neurobiology and endocrinology
* Discuses both anatomical and functional aspects of the Neuroendocrine system
* Also serves comparative physiologists, endocrinologists, neuroanatomists and behaviourists interested in understanding the reciprocal actions between the nervous and endocrine systems

This is the companion volume to Daniel Klionsky s "Autophagy: Lower Eukaryotes, " which features the basic methods in autophagy covering yeasts and alternative fungi (aspergillus, podospora, magnaporthe). Klionsky is one of the leading authorities in the field. He is the editor-in-chief of "Autophagy." The November 2007 issue of "Nature Reviews" highlighted his article, Autophagy: From phenomenology to molecular understanding in less than a decade. He is currently editing guidelines for the field, with 230 contributing authors, that will publish in "Autophagy."
Particularly in times of stress, like starvation and disease, higher organisms have an internal mechanism in their cells for chewing up and recycling parts of themselves. The process of internal house cleaning in the cell is called autophagy - literally self-eating. Breakthroughs in understanding the molecular basis of autophagy came after the cloning of ATG1 (autophagy-related gene 1) in yeast. (To date, 30 additional yeast genes have been identified.) These ATG genes in yeast were the stepping stones to the explosion of research into the molecular analysis of autophagy in higher eukaryotes. In the future, this research will help to design clinical approaches that can turn on autophagy and halt tumor growth."

Periods of environmental hypoxia (Low Oxygen Availability) are extremely common in aquatic systems due to both natural causes such as diurnal oscillations in algal respiration, seasonal flooding, stratification, under ice cover in lakes, and isolation of densely vegetated water bodies, as well as more recent anthropogenic causes (e.g. eutrophication). In view of this, it is perhaps not surprising that among all vertebrates, fish boast the largest number of hypoxia tolerant species; hypoxia has clearly played an important role in shaping the evolution of many unique adaptive strategies. These unique adaptive strategies either allow fish to maintain function at low oxygen levels, thus extending hypoxia tolerance limits, or permit them to defend against the metabolic consequences of oxygen levels that fall below a threshold where metabolic functions cannot be maintained.
The aim of this volume is two-fold. First, this book will review and synthesize the adaptive behavioural, morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular strategies used by fish to survive hypoxia exposure and place them within an environmental and ecological context. Second, through the development of a synthesis chapter this book will serve as the cornerstone for directing future research into the effects of hypoxia exposures on fish physiology and biochemistry.

Key Features
* The only single volume available to provide an in-depth discussion of the adaptations and responses of fish to environmental hypoxia.
* Reviews and synthesizes the adaptive behavioural, morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular strategies used by fish to survive hypoxia exposure.
* Includes discussion of the evolutionary and ecological consequences of hypoxia exposure in fish.

Cilia--the tiny hairlike structures on the surface of cells--have recently been identified as playing a role in a variety of disease and developmental disorders. Absent or defective cilia in certain cells can cause infertility, blindness, kidney disease, and lung disease. This volume presents recent findings in cilia research and current thought on the role of cilia in disease and developmental abnormalities.

Many hundreds of thousands suffer spinal cord injuries leading to loss of sensation and motor function in the body below the point of injury. Spinal cord research has made some significant strides towards new treatment methods, and is a focus of many laboratories worldwide. In addition, research on the involvement of the spinal cord in pain and the abilities of nervous tissue in the spine to regenerate has increasingly been on the forefront of biomedical research in the past years. The Spinal Cord, a collaboration with the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, is the first comprehensive book on the anatomy of the mammalian spinal cord. Tens of thousands of articles and dozens of books are published on this subject each year, and a great deal of experimental work has been carried out on the rat spinal cord. Despite this, there is no comprehensive and authoritative atlas of the mammalian spinal cord. Almost all of the fine details of spinal cord anatomy must be searched for in journal articles on particular subjects. This book addresses this need by providing both a comprehensive reference on the mammalian spinal cord and a comparative atlas of both rat and mouse spinal cords in one convenient source. The book provides a descriptive survey of the details of mammalian spinal cord anatomy, focusing on the rat with many illustrations from the leading experts in the field and atlases of the rat and the mouse spinal cord. The rat and mouse spinal cord atlas chapters include photographs of Nissl stained transverse sections from each of the spinal cord segments (obtained from a single unfixed spinal cord), detailed diagrams of each of the spinal cord segments pictured, delineating the laminaeof Rexed and all other significant neuronal groupings at each level and photographs of additional sections displaying markers such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), calbindin, calretinin, choline acetlytransferase, neurofilament protein (SMI 32), enkephalin, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN).
The text provides a detailed account of the anatomy of the mammalian spinal cord and surrounding musculoskeletal elements.
The major topics addressed are:
- development of the spinal cord
- the gross anatomy of the spinal cord and its meninges
- spinal nerves, nerve roots, and dorsal root ganglia
- the vertebral column, vertebral joints, and vertebral muscles
- blood supply of the spinal cord
- cytoarchitecture and chemoarchitecture of the spinal gray matter
- musculotopic anatomy of motoneuron groups
- tracts connecting the brain and spinal cord
- spinospinal pathways
- sympathetic and parasympathetic elements in the spinal cord
- neuronal groups and pathways that control micturition
- the anatomy of spinal cord injury in experimental animals
The atlas of the rat and mouse spinal cord has the following features:
- Photographs of Nissl stained transverse sections from each of 34 spinal segments for the rat and mouse.
- Detailed diagrams of each of the 34 spinal segments for rat and mouse, delineating the laminae of Rexed and all other significant neuronal groupings at each level.
- Alongside each of the 34 Nissl stained segments, there are additional sections displaying markers such as acetylcholinesterase, calbindin, calretinin, choline acetlytransferase, neurofilament protein (SMI 32), and neuronal nuclear protein (NeuN).
- All the major motoneuron clusters are identified in relation to the individual muscles or muscle groups they supply.

* Comprehensive and an easily accessible reference volume for developing, running, and analyzing biomedical research using the rat as model system Grown exponentially by the genomic revolution, the use of the rat as a model of choice for physiological studies continues in popularity and at a much greater depth of understanding. In Rat Genomics: Methods and Protocols, world-wide experts provide both practical information for researchers involved in genomic research in the rat along with a more contextual discussion about the usefulness of the rat in physiological or translational research in different organs and systems. The volume extensively covers topics including genome sequencing, quantitative trait loci mapping, and the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms as well as the development of transgenic technologies such as nuclear cloning, lentiviral-mediated transgenesis, gene knock-down using RNA interference, gene knock-out by mutagenesis, and zinc finger nucleases plus exciting advances in the obtention of rat embryonic cell lines. As a volume in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyT series, this work provides the kind of detailed description and implementation advice that is crucial for getting optimal results. Comprehensive and up-to-date, Rat Genomics: Methods and Protocols thoroughly covers the current techniques used in labs around the world and overviews the applications of the data obtained, making it certain to be useful to the scientific community as a key source of references and methods.

This second volume in the series covers such topics as DNA fingerprinting of fishes, the cytochromes P450 in fish, the molecular biology of bacterial fish diseases, and new insights into the origins of the diversity and distribution of fish antifreeze proteins. The book will be of great value to fisheries scientists, animal biochemists, physiologists and endocrinologists, and aquaculturists. It will provide researchers and students alike with a pertinent information source from theoretical and experimental angles.

Elwyn Simons has held professional appointments at Yale University (1960-1977), Duke University (1977-present), and was the Director of the Duke Primate Center (1977-1991) and Scientific Director (1991-2001). He has authored nearly 300 scientific publications and is the holder of many high honors. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, as well as many other professional associations. He was elected a Knight of the National Order by the government of Madagascar and has been the recipient of many awards including the prestigious Charles R. Darwin Award for Lifetime Achievement from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists. For nearly a half century, Dr. Simons has dominated the study of primate evolution. The volume summarizes the current state of knowledge in many aspects of primate and human evolution that have been studied by Simons and his colleagues and place it in a broader paleontological and historical perspective. Elwyn Simons: A Search for Origins contains the results of new research and reviews of many of the critical issues in primate and human evolution during the last half of the twentieth century as well as aspects of African paleontology and primate conservation in Madagascar. The authors are an extremely distinguished group of international authorities on all aspects of primate and human evolution and primate behavior. Although linked primarily by their connection to Simons? own career, the chapters include a wide range of important new works that are valuable contributions to the field of physical anthropology and paleontology and are certain to be widely cited and used in teaching.Several of the papers (Simons et al., Wing et al., Seiffert et al., Gingerich, O?Conner) are broad reviews of the history of research and discoveries in the fossil deposits of the Fayum, Egypt that have formed the background of our understanding of anthropoid evolution for over a century and will be important researchers for students and researchers in primate evolution and African paleontology. Similarly, broad reviews of the history of primate paleontology and human evolution (Rasmussen, Pilbeam, Wood; Sussman and Hart) will be essential reading in courses in primate and human evolution as well as the history of physical anthropology. Other authors describe new research results on early anthropoid fossils from Egypt (Kay and Simons) Tanzania (Stevens) and Myanmar (Gunnell and Ciochon). The chapter by John Oakley, Professor of Law at the University of California addresses the challenges to the teaching of evolution in schools- both public and universities world wide. Another major focus of several chapters are the primates of Madagascar. Two chapters are reviews of the extraordinary radiation of fossil lemurs (Godfrey et al, Jungers et al.). Two review the behavior and conservation of living lemurs (Taylor and Wright) and the chapter by Tattersall bridges the two major sections of the book by discussing about the biogeographic history of Malagasy mammals.

This revised edition will continue to serve as the most complete and up-to-date guide to the use of the avian embryo in studies of vertebrate development. It will include new approaches to analysis of the chick genome, gene knock-out studies using RNA interference, morpholinos, and other cutting edge techniques. As with the original edition, emphasis has been placed on providing practical guidance, highlighting potentials and pitfalls of all key cell biological and embryological techniques.
* Fully revised second edition, organized into basic and advanced methods.
* New chapters with modern techniques only in use in the past decade, with an emphasis placed on providing practical guidance - highlighting potentials and pitfalls.
* International team of contributors with broad expertise in using the avian embryo to study vertebrate development.
* Includes new approaches including analysis of the chick genome, gene knock-out studies using RNAi, morpholinos, and other cutting edge techniques.