Book Description

Developmental Biology, Seventh Edition captures the richness, the intellectual excitement, and the wonder of contemporary developmental biology. It is written primarily for undergraduate biology majors but will be useful for introducing graduate students and medical students to developmental biology. In addition to exploring and synthesizing the organismal, cellular, and molecular aspects of animal development, the Seventh Edition expands its coverage of the medical, environmental, and evolutionary aspects of developmental biology.

FEATURES OF THE SEVENTH EDITION

A completely updated text integrates classical developmental biology with contemporary techniques, including the new material on vertebrate limb cell specification, microarrays, RNA interference, microtubular motors, floxed genes, vertebra formation, neural crest differentiation, neural crest specification, heart cell specification, herbicide-induced gonadal disruptions, pancreatic development, digit determination, tadpole deiodinases, insulin-like growth factors, developmental symbioses, and the developmental origins of feathers, jaws, and teeth during evolution.

A new chapter on medical implications of developmental biology • The news is full of developmental biology and its medical implications. Therapeutic cloning and cancer therapies, in vitro fertilization, congenital anomalies, and teratogenesis are major concerns not only of scientists but of all citizens. Chapter 21, "Medical Implications of Human Development," brings these topics together and discusses:

*the regulation of fertility
*the identification of genetic defects that affect development
*the identification of teratogenic compounds that affect development
*the identification of factors in the maternal environment which may influence the health of the fetus or the adult
*the realization that cancers can be disruptions of developmental regulation and might be cured through developmental processes
*the attempts to cure developmental diseases (including cancers) through detection, cloning, stem cell therapy, and genetic engineering
*the attempt to cure traumatic and degenerative disease through regeneration. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Outstanding in-depth intro to developmental biology
I think Scott Gilbert has done an absolutely stupendous job in writing this clearly written, beautifully illustrated and up-to-date exposition of developmental biology. The concluding chapter on evolutionary developmental biology is brief but very well done. The websites associated with the book and the CD provide much additional information. Definitely the premier textbook in this area. Don't tackle it without having taken at least a course in cell biology, and some exposure to biochemistry and genetics would be helpful as well. The last time I read a dev bio textbook was when I was in college 30 years ago; how things have changed!

tough but pleasurable
You definitly need some background in cellular and molecular biology and genetics to get a lot out of this book, but in that it represents the direction of developmental biology. This textbook is a worthwhile challenge, and if you have a knowledgable professor (as I do), you're sure to learn a lot (as I am).

Mostly about animal biology
This is very comprehensive introductory book in developmental biology starting from 18th century. Author very informed with the latest developments provides information on subjects based on latest developments. Illustrations are very nice, subjects cover all the phases of development, cell partitioning, gastrolization, transcriptional regulation,cell specification, cell to cell interaction, hormonal development and finale. author also has given a chapter on DNA and transcriptions. It is mostly about amphibians and insects and very limited on human. There are also up to date specilizied subjects introduced in frames for more curious minds. A book to be read over and over again as your knowledge in other fields increases.

Good overview of developmental biology
Well written and illustrated reference on animal development. This book covers basic principles of developmental biology, and then considers transcriptional regulation, control of development by RNA processing and translational regulation. Cell specification and cellular interactions are then considered. The last chapter considers developmental mechanisms in evolution.

Good, but single author can't handle all
This is a superb textbook which includes a wide scope of current developmental biology. The new version also embraces a modern interactive technology. It's really cool! The text is fluent and consistent because a single author wrote all the chapters. However, its drawback is that the author can't know all the things. This is contrast to other reputated textbooks such as Molecular Biology of the Cell, Principles of Neural Science, etc., written by multiple authors who have expertises in each chapter. Developmental biology has expanded and now covers evolution, plants, and even behavior. I think Dr. Scott Gilbert is a genius. But I can't believe he can handle all of these stuffs. It's time to ask some people to write each chapter. ... Read more

Book Description

Regarded as the "Bible" of mammalian embryo manipulation techniques since the 1986 publication of the first edition of Manipulating the Mouse Embryo: A Laboratory Manual, the third edition of this essential laboratory resource has now been completely reorganized, rewritten, and updated by a new cast of authors. The result is a compilation of new, cutting–edge protocols that include embryonic stem cell production and genetic manipulation, mouse chimeras, mouse cloning, assisted reproduction strategies (including intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization), whole embryo culture systems, electroporation, embryo and gamete cryopreservation and rederivation, and gene expression, as well as more extensive background information on the use of these techniques. The "gold standard" techniques for applying recombinant DNA technology to investigations of mammalian embryonic development included in the first two editions of this book are also updated and recast, as is the summary of the current state of understanding of mouse development at the molecular level. This book is the premier authoritative and comprehensive source of technical and theoretical guidance for mouse developmental biologists and geneticists and is an essential resource for newcomers to these fields. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The New Testament?
A definitive summary of mouse development and simple, concise proven protocols. This is the best publication there is for this kind of work. It's much better than the 2nd, ed. I wish it had more of a troubleshooting focus, but I guess if you are in this line of work, you should be able to figure out problems yourself, or query the tg list.... I like how there are alternative strategies mentioned depending on how your lab is equiped (or not). ... Read more

Book Description

The splendor and beauty of a child’s growth and development in the womb--seen through unforgettable images made possible by revolutionary advances in visualization technology

What’s happening with the baby now?All expectant parents ask this question throughout the exhilirating months of pregnancy.Fuzzy sonograms and doctor’s explanations can provide basic information, but through Alexander Tsiaras’ remarkable achievements in medical imaging technology, parents can see, for the first time, the awe-inspiring process of a new life unfolding, in stunning, vivid detail.

The milestones of pregnancy which before could only be described can now be witnessed:the heart’s first beats; the appearance of color in the eye; the emergence of toes and teeth; the brain and nervous system directing development; the first movement of tiny legs and arms; the first indications of gender; the wondrous symbiosis of mother and child; the symphony of the body’s systems coming into being and working in concert. The book tracks the development of a baby from the moment of conception, through the explosively complex early stages of development and the amazing stages of growth as the baby is nurtured by the mother, ending with the joy of birth.

All this is made possible by revolutions in two sciences.As biologists have decoded the molecular basis of life, computer scientists have developed non-invasive, three-dimensional techniques for visualizing the body.Alexander Tsiaras has been a pioneer in merging these explorations and discoveries.He has created a virtual camera studio that enables him to view a human body or any part of it individually, scan it, enlarge it, rotate it, adjust its transparency so that we can view inside a living being, and light it from any angle.The result is an ability to illuminate the unseen elements that make us who we are, and the miraculous images in From Conception to Birth.
... Read more

Reviews (27)

Absolutely Stunning
I just wanted to write my own review and say how absolutely amazing this book really is. It's not so scientific that it bored me nor is it just pictures- it's the perfect mix of information and pictures.
It clearly states that most of the pictures are not actual photographs, but a mix of pictures and art. Some of the reviewers are so bothered by this. I don't think the author is trying to trick anyone into thinking that these are actual photographs. The author is simply trying to let the reader better visualize the amazing process that occurs in a mothers' womb. Since it's almost impossible to get actual pictures of a fetus, this is the closest that we can get. They are still amazing picures. I look through it everyday and it makes me appreciate even more the miracle of birth and life. This is a must have book for all expecting mothers. It can also make a perfect gift for a mother-to-be.

Simply Amazing
After reading the article in Time Magazine, I purchased 'From Conception To Birth' for a friend of mine who'd just had a child. After flipping through the book, I bought a second copy for myself. It's truly an Awesome work. The pictures are mesmerizing. And, you don't have to have children to enjoy it. This is all of our story. How can anyone with two eyes and a heart not be moved by these incredible images.I really recommend it.

A beautiful coffee table book
If you are looking for a shower gift for an expectant couple, this would make a lovely gift. It's full of photos of the developing baby. It would also make a wonderful gift for a very excited set of grandparents! My husband and I had a copy of this book during my pregnancy and enjoyed it thoroughly. The writing is beautiful and the photos are amazing.

Thumbs Up from a veteren mom
I am reviewing from a "hands on" opinion. I have gone through this process four times and I am currently beginning the journey of bringing a 5th child into the world.

I think this book is beautiful. I first saw it on Oprah, where everyone was raving about it. I had to go to the book store and take a peek. The pictures are beautiful. The book is somewhat similar to A Child Is Born, but each book offers its own unique stand point.

Since my first encounter with this book, I have seen it in OB/GYN waiting rooms. I even saw a copy in our hospital waiting room. I have read various good reviews. (even from PHD doctors) Regardless of the rave from doctors and the media, I found it to be quite impressive on my own. Life is one of the most amazing things. To see it visually, is just a marvel. I am so happy to see such detailed books on this beautiful process. I can't believe all that stuff goes on inside of me!!!

It's worth a look!

Awe-inspiring book!
Pregnant couples will love this book, there are sections of the book that show exactly how big the baby is and what it looks like at different stages of development. I found myself referring to this book almost every day while I was pregnant. This is an excellent book to share with children. I also found the text fascinating. This book is not as in-depth as the book "A Child is Born", which is the classic "from-conception-to-birth" book. Though I prefer this book for it's format and because it is less graphic. I would recommend this book for anyone curious about the birth process and definately for anyone expecting a child. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Excellent and Precise
I am a dental student and at my school the Descriptive Anatomy course is infamously difficult. This book has made it much easier to conceptualize human anatomy in 3-dimension as well as demonstrate how each part relates to one another, by region and layer-by-layer. The cadavers have been dissected with superb precision, which provides clarity as to how all of the anatomical structures relate. The photographs are of excellent quality with nonintrusive lines and numbers to easily identify each anatomical part. You get a realistic experience of human anatomy in its true physical form and spatial dimension. This is an excellent book for those who are visual learners as well as those who desire a deeper understanding of human anatomy.

Great Atlas
Rohen provides crystal clear pictures of the human body. This is a must have book to help you get through anatomy and for later reference throughout your medical career! It is particularly helpful for anatomy students because it illustrates precise dissections that can be reviewed on those days/nights when you don't want be in the pungent lab.

This book is AWESOME
I can not believe the quality of this books or the photos it is full of. I will start medical school next fall and wanted to start learning human anatomy and preparing myself for gross anatomy lab. This book is a great resource and exactly what I was looking for, plus it is used at my school for the MSI lab so I will use it during school.

Absolute Best Book for Anatomy
I'm a medical student at the University of Michigan and in my experience this is the best atlas for anatomy. Many of the pictures are taken and arranged just like a typical anatomy dissection, which is perfect for pre-labbing and for studying for practicals. The labels are numbered, which make it ideal for self-quizzing, and the pointers aren't extremely long, which makes it easy to see what is being pointed at. (This is a problem with Netter's which has extremely long lines that are hard to follow.) I do not usually use textbooks (I rely mostly on class notes and online resources), but this atlas has been invaluable.

Excellent Condition!
I received this book tonight and it looks just amazing!
It is in excellent condition and thus motivates me to open it and want to read it. I am sure I will enjoy it:)
Thanks for keeping it in such great condition! ... Read more

Book Description

Not since the early 1970s has there been an attempt to describe and illustrate the anatomy of the developing mouse embryo. More than ever such material is needed by biologists as they begin to unravel the molecular mechanisms underlying development and differentiation. After more than ten years of painstaking work, Matt Kaufman has completed The Atlas of Mouse Development--the definitive account of mouse embryology and development.
For all those researching or studying mammalian development, The Atlas of Mouse Development will be the standard reference work for many years to come.

Key Features
* Provides a comprehensive sequential account of the development of the mouse from pre-implantation to term
* Contains clear and concise descriptions of the anatomical features relevant to each stage of development
* Large format for easy use
* Contains explanatory notes and legends, and more than 180 meticulously labeled plates, 1,300 photographs of individual histological sections, and 200 electron micrographs, illustrating:
* Intermittent serial histological sections through embryos throughout embryogenesis and organogenesis
* Differentiation of specific organs and organ systems, including the spinal cord, eyes, gonads, kidneys, lungs and skeletal system
* External appearance of intact embryos throughout development ... Read more

Book Description

The generation of mutant mice raises many questions about the best means of phenotypic analysis, breeding, and maintenance. The answers are now available from two experts with a wealth of detailed knowledge never previously assembled in one volume. Informal and highly practical, this handbook provides step–by–step methods for troubleshooting experiments, from the basics of gene targeting through the analysis of postnatal effects. ... Read more

Book Description

The first book to provide a scientific explanation of the mysterious, infuriating, and downright weird behavior of teenagers.

A mother paces the living room waiting for her sixteen-year-old son to come home hours past his curfew. When he finally saunters in, he answers every question with a blank stare, dashes to his room, and slams the door. The mother, stunned and angry, thinks “It’s just hormones, right?”

Wrong. While raging hormones and an inclination toward rebellion are major players in the teenage drama, an area north of the gonads is directing the show: the brain. In The Primal Teen, Barbara Strauch examines the cutting-edge scientific discoveries that are providing vital new information about what makes teens tick.

Until recently, scientists believed the brain had largely finished its development by the teenage years. But breakthrough research by leading neuroscientists now shows that the adolescent brain is an intensely busy work-in-progress, transforming some sections, radically pruning the synaptic connections, while strengthening those connections that remain. This immense “rewiring” project provides new clues to explain the swift mood changes, out-of-character responses and reactions, and even the acts of sheer stupidity that have puzzled parents throughout history. Strauch not only sheds new light on these breakthrough findings, she shows how understanding the basis of teenage behavior can lead the way to a saner and smoother relationship between parents and their kids. Through interviews with scientists, teenagers, parents, and teachers, she explores common challenges — why teens can be so articulate and mature one day and so morose the next, why they engage in risky behavior, and why some kids struggle while others bloom — and offers practical strategies to help parents and kids manage these often difficult years.

The Primal Teen is a major step forward in deciphering and responding to the moody metamorphosis all teenagers go through. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Primal Teen
This is a must read book for all parents! Author Barbara Strauch presents the latest scientific findings regarding the teenage brain in a highly readable, even enjoyable layperson's format. This book gives incredible insight into why our teenagers act and think the way they do. It also allows us a view into the latest medicial thinking--including the vast amounts learned only recently and how much is still to be discovered. I think parents will find this book enormously useful, as well as comforting, in their everyday interactions with their kids. Kudos to author Strauch for bringing us new insights and for dispelling some long held myths.

A wonderful whirlrwind tour into the teenager's brain & mind
Barbara Strauch has offered us a beautifully written account of her journey to understand the cutting edge of knowledge and modern scientific exploration of the adolescent brain. Through her clear and accessible writing, we are given the chance to hear the voices of scientists focusing their current work on imaging the changes in the teen's brain: insights into changes that help us (as parents, as professionals, as former teens ourselves) to understand the wild and confusing time of adolescent turmoil and transformation. As a parent, I found the book extremely entertaining, illuminating, and reassuring. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist who writes about the brain, the mind, and human relationships, I found the book to be an extremely useful resource for the teens and parents in my practice and seminars. Barbara Strauch has succeeded in helping us to understand our teenagers in a more compassionate light, opening the door to possibilities for improved relationships, and even a deeper understanding of ourselves. A wonderful treat for anyone interested in knowing more about how we transition from childhood to adulthood.

Any Parent's "Must" Read
Fascinating, informative and helpful to any parent who has raised, is raising, or will be raising a teenager. A definite "required reading" for anyone involved with teens, be it parent, teacher, judiciary, law enforcement, etc. Highly recommended. It certainly makes sense of this senseless creature!

Interesting and reassuring book.
I don't have children, but I do have an interest in mind and the brain, so when an on-line friend, Steven Haines, recommended it I decided to read The Primal Teen. As catchy as the title may sound, the book is actually quite serious about the subject of the developing teenage brain. Although the author is not herself a neurologist or neuroscientist, she is a skillful journalist (New York Times and Newsday). The topic is well researched with primary sources taken from prestigious professional journals like Nature Neuroscience, Brain Research, Journal of Comparative Neurology, Cerebral Cortex, Annals of Neurology, etc. While some of those articles cited are late 1980s, most are 1997 to 2002 (the book was published in 2003). Ms Strauch also interviewed some of the researchers personally for their input on what the scientific data are likely to mean and how it impacts teens and their families. Topics covered are: where the new data are coming from; teens and impulsive behavior; the whens, wheres, and whys of changes in the structure of the brain; what animal studies have to say about development of the brain in adolescents; why teens take risks; why teens seem to keep late hours and sleep late in the day; the chemistry of the brain and puberty; and the effects of drugs, tobacco and alcohol on growing brains.

I was a little frustrated with the lack of actual suggestions for parents on how to cope with their changing teen. To some extent the anecdotal stories of some of the researchers who had teenaged children and those from the author herself provided insight into possible approaches, but on the whole very little by the way of helpful problem solving was offered. This may well be because too little has yet been done to make definite statements. The book at least helps a parent understand that their teenagers are "normal" despite the apparent erratic behavior they exhibit, that patience is the most likely route to a successful rite of passage, and most importantly that "this too will pass."

An interesting and reassuring book.

What's Wrong with Adult Brains?
I worked with children and teens in their families for 15 years, and what I saw is
reflected in cold statistics--American adults don’t need flattering reassurances that we’re
okay, we need a hard slap of reality. Sixty percent of American parents’ marriages end in
divorce today, subjecting kids to unbelievable conflicts. American adults and parents are,
by far, the most violent, drug-abusing, criminally arrested, imprisoned, obese, and
unstable of any Western nation, and all of these adult crises have skyrocketed in the last
four decades.
Today, 20 million teens have been subjected to their parents’ family breakup, 10
million young people grow up with parents who are heavy drinkers or dug addicts, more
than 1 million youths suffer parents arrested for felonies every year (several hundred
thousand of whose parents are imprisoned), and hundreds of thousands of youths are
confirmed victims of violent and sexual abuses in their homes every year. Compared to
parents in other Western countries. Americans are far more likely to use psychiatrists,
Ritalin, forced institutionalization, police interventions, harsh restrictions such as curfews
and drug tests, violent punishments, and lengthy imprisonments on children and
teens--and we complain we STILL can't control our kids!
Strauch’s book, of course, sticks safely to abstract theories and pleasing anecdotes
and touches on none of these disturbing realities. She gushes over pompous claims by a
few self-praising bio-researchers that their overblown, post-1996 notions invalidate all
the thousands of practical research studies on adolescents and adults that came before.
Unfortunately, neurobiological research is notoriously inconclusive--conscientious
experts (not numbered among the ones Strauch interviews) readily admit that our
knowledge of how brain organization processes affect real-world behavior is woefully
primitive.
What counts is that decades of practical research tests involving real-life decision
making have shown that teenagers and adults think very much alike. In fact, teenage rates
of violent crime, homicide, suicide, unplanned pregnancy, HIV infection, heavy drinking,
drunken driving accidents, smoking, obesity, and so forth, closely follow the
corresponding rates among adults of their families and communities--a fact that is
impossible to explain if teenage and adult brains are fundamentally different.
The reason Strauch’s book has no “practical advice” for parents is because this
book has no relevance to practical, real-life situations beyond the self-serving anecdotes
she chooses. No wonder Americans praise and make best-sellers out of books that skip
over how alarmingly American middle-aged behavior has deteriorated and flatter us that
the whole problem is that teenagers can’t think straight.
Mike Males, Santa Cruz ... Read more

Book Description

Written by a team of distinguished authors led by Lewis Wolpert one of the most influential developmental biologists of this century, this is a new and revised edition of the best-selling and popular textbook Principles of Development. It is designed for undergraduates and emphasizes principles and key concepts. Central to the authors' approach is the idea that understanding how genes control cell behavior is the key to understanding development. They assume that students are familiar with the basics of cell biology and genetics but provide thorough explanations of all key concepts in the text, like the control of gene activity. Instead of covering every aspect of developmental biology, the authors focus on those systems that best illuminate common principles. The theme of their book is that universal principles govern the process of development. The text also focuses on vertebrates and Drosophila, but without excluding other systems, such as the nematode and the sea urchin. Another important feature of the book is the inclusion of the development of plants--usually neglected in other textbooks--which has unique and important features. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

CAUTION: not a good intro to development
I am currently using this text for my 300 level developmental biology class. You know the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well, this book is a thousand words without the pictures. It is very cumbersome to read. You know there is a problem when a book makes more sense when read in reverse. I am being very serious. FOr example, the author will be overly vague in introducing a topic, but still use specific terms without any prior introdution. Vital details necessary to understanding the text are given when needed. Throughout, terms are used before definitions are given, which makes the reader go nuts trying to figure out the meanings of more than half of the sentences.
Seriously, i do not understand the "excellent" reviews that others have given it.
I think it may be true that this book is VERY Comprehensive, but as far as clarity, theres none for students trying to understand the basics and a little more. If you are a professor, and know the material, then this book is probably a pleasure to read.
If you are like me, and just want to have a thorough understanding of the basics of developement, it would be in your best interest to look elsewhere.

An Excellent Textbook
Wolpert's developmental biology textbook is evidently an excellent text in its field. The authors are all well recognized in thier research areas. The organization of the text is also very well written. The summary of the concept presented at the end of each chapter is helpful. The figures presented througout the text are clear and the language used to explain them is simple but very understandable. Compared with the well-known Gilbert's text, this text may be less in dept but you can get the concept from this book for only half of the time reading Gilbert's. It is a nice book to have both for the new beginner in the field and for just a quick reference.

Greatest revolution of text in development
@I read this book for 2 months. Chapters of regeneration is more impressive than any other chapters.Moreover, I impressed that this bppk is best for beginners and students. Composition is also excellent. ... Read more

Book Description

The 1986 publication of Manipulating the Mouse Embryo catalyzed the interaction between molecular biology and mammalian embryology. For the first time, detailed instructions on how to begin applying recombinant DNA technology to important questions about mammalian embryonic development were made available to a broad audience. The gathering pace of such studies in recent years has brought improvements to existing methods and fueled the creation of new and powerful technologies. The second edition of this classic manual has been completely revised and expanded to incorporate these advances. It contains new sections on the production and analysis of transgenic mice, the manipulation of preimplantation embryos to generate chimeras, the culture and manipulation of embryonic stem cells, including gene "knockouts," and techniques for visualizing genes, gene products, and specific cell types. As before, included with the protocols is a summary of current understanding of mouse development at a molecular level. In its new edition, this manual of proven distinction is again an authoritative and comprehensive source of technical guidance for experienced investigators and an essential resource for newcomers to mammalian genetics and embryology.

Please see the companion videos to this manual:

-Transgenic Techniques in Mice
-Targeted Mutagenesis in Mice ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Manipulating the Mouse Embryo
This book is essential for all who work in the transgenic and knockout mouse industry. Everything you need to know to begin, maintain, and analyze your transgenic or knockout facility is in this book. I have not required any other refernces to run my facility or perform my experiments. The books cover topics such as setting up the mouse colony, to microinjecting, to in situ hybridization, to preparing any solutions you made need. ... Read more

Book Description

Studies of the cells and genes of the nematode C. elegans have become a cornerstone of current biology. A classic 1988 Cold Spring Harbor monograph, The Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, described the basic genetics, anatomy and development of the organism. Now, in that authoritative tradition, comes C. elegans II -- not a second edition but a book that breaks new ground and defines the current status of the field, providing a detailed molecular explanation of how development is regulated and the nervous system specifies varied aspects of behavior. This volume is a must for any investigator doing worm studies but it has been written and rigorously edited to illuminate for a wider community of investigators in cell and molecular biology who should know how new knowledge of C. elegans relates to their own specialty. ... Read more

Book Description

This book represents a classic compilation of current knowledge about mouse development and its correlates to research in cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and neuroscience. Emphasis is placed on the research strategy, experimental design, and critical analysis of the data, disguishing this from other books that only focus on protocols for mouse developmental research. Selected chapters are indexed to electronic databases such as GeneBank, GenBank, Electronic Mouse Atlas, and Transgenic/Knockout, further increasing the utility of this book as a reference.

*Broad-based overview of mouse development from fundamental to specialist levels
*Extensive coverage of a wide range of developmental mutations of the mouse
*Excellent benchmark illustrations of brain, craniofacial, gut and heart development
*In-depth experiment-based assessment of concepts in mammalian development
*Focus on models of specific relevance to human development
*Comprehensive reference to key literature and electronic databases related to mouse development
*High-quality full-color production ... Read more

Book Description

The first comprehensive synthesis on development and evolution: it applies to all aspects of development, at all levels of organization and in all organisms, taking advantage of modern findings on behavior, genetics, endocrinology, molecular biology, evolutionary theory and phylogenetics to show the connections between developmental mechanisms and evolutionary change. This book solves key problems that have impeded a definitive synthesis in the past. It uses new concepts and specific examples to show how to relate environmentally sensitive development to the genetic theory of adaptive evolution andto explain major patterns of change. In this book development includes not only embryology and the ontogeny of morphology, sometimes portrayed inadequately as governed by "regulatory genes," but also behavioral development and physiological adaptation, where plasticity is mediated by genetically complex mechanisms like hormones and learning. The book shows how the universal qualities of phenotypes--modular organization and plasticity--facilitate both integration and change. Here you will learn why it is wrong to describe organisms as genetically programmed; why environmental induction is likely to be more important in evolution than random mutation; and why it is crucial to consider both selection and developmental mechanism in explanations of adaptive evolution. This book satisfies the need for a truly general book on development, plasticity and evolution that applies to living organisms in all of their life stages and environments. Using an immense compendium of examples on many kinds of organisms, from viruses and bacteria to higher plants and animals, it shows how the phenotype is reorganized during evolution to produce novelties, and how alternative phenotypes occupy a pivotal role as a phase of evolution that fosters diversification and speeds change. The arguments of this book call for a new view of the major themes of evolutionary biology, as shown in chapters on gradualism, homology, environmental induction, speciation, radiation, macroevolution, punctuation, and the maintenance of sex. No other treatment of development and evolution since Darwin'soffers such a comprehensive and critical discussion of the relevant issues. Developmental Plasticity and Evolution is designed for biologists interested in the development and evolution of behavior, life-history patterns, ecology, physiology, morphology and speciation. It will also appeal to evolutionary paleontologists, anthropologists,psychologists, and teachers of general biology. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A milestone in the study of phenotypic plasticity
For any evolutionary biologist interested in how evolutionary events are molded and modulated by phenotypic plasticity and developmental processes this book is a "must have". It is a huge, widesweeping review and synthesis of the problem of development and evolution. It will remain as the benchmark for the field for many years. No one can approach this subject without having read this book. In perspective it ranges from the molecular to the macroevolutionary, but always manages to maintain a highly readable style.

A vital contribution to evolutionary theory
Developmental Plasticity and Evolution by Mary Jane West-Eberhard is an enormously important contribution to the modern (neo-Darwinian) theory of organic evolution. It presents a new way of understanding evolution. The book teaches us how environmental induction of purely phenotypic events, including learning, can drive evolution, and why a plastic and modular phenotype should replace mutation at the center stage of evolutionary thinking. It is my prediction that this book will precipitate a revolution in thought within biology, but that this will take time, as has any major new idea. Biologists in all fields related to evolution are encouraged to read this work.

The book contains a masterful synthesis of biological facts and theories on the broadest of scales. It unites all disciplines within the biological sciences. It is not, however, merely an impressive review. Rather, it captures a vast collection of data and brilliantly organizes it around a set of fundamental principles about development and evolution from which the main messages of the book are crystallized. Whereas many of the concepts may be described as relatively simple, contemplating the connections between them, as well as their overall unification, becomes an infinitely more challenging and fascinating task. It is from this unification that West-Eberhard's coherent theory of development and evolution blossoms. Expertly guiding the reader from individual concepts to coherent theory, West-Eberhard captures our imagination at every twist and turn, and catapults the reader's mind in a myriad of unexpected directions. The writing is crisp, clean and captivating. The book is filled with exciting and highly felicitous examples from natural history, touching upon the lives of all kinds of organisms, from prions to elm trees and African elephants. The pages are richly textured with detailed examples, illustrations and various intellectual gems. One such delight is a discussion of Darwin's pangenesis theory and how it fails in light of sterile castes in the Hymenoptera.

The book's main contribution to modern evolutionary biology is the revolutionary idea that environmental influences on development, not mutation, are the first order cause of design. This view is a fundamental alteration of emphasis in a field obsessed with genes, genetic drift and mass selection. The book places major emphasis on the importance of genetic accommodation, which occurs when developmentally-mediated changes in the phenotype are molded by quantitative genetic change. The hypothesis of genetic accommodation can be understood as beginning when the environment induces a phenotypic change. This change imposes a new selective regime onto pre-existing polygenic variation. In this way, we are encouraged to understand genes as "followers", as opposed to "leaders" in evolution. The variants can be inherited in subsequent generations if the environmental conditions inducing them are recurrent, and if there is genetic variation underlying the population in the developmental capacity to produce them. Natural selection will favor the spread of a particular environmentally-induced variant when it has positive effects on individual fitness. Although both mutation and environmental induction are considered important modes of initiation of new phenotypic variation, West-Eberhard's argument is that environmental induction is in fact more important.

This thesis challenges the modern gene-centered view of evolution, and in so doing, drives the final nail in the coffin of the "one-gene-one-phenotype" illusion. The book encourages the view that a unified science of evolution can only be achieved with a thorough integration of development into evolutionary biology. To this end, Mary Jane West-Eberhard's treatise is an enormous success. By showing how environmentally influenced development contributes to the origin of novelty in all organisms, the book provides a key missing component of a modern evolutionary theory that biology has been lacking since Darwin. The book is essential reading for all graduate students, researchers and teachers of biology.

Evolution and the Genotype-Phenotype Map
For me, West-Eberhard's Developmental Plasticity and Evolution is the most far reaching integration of evolution, ecology and development since Darwin's Origin of Species. This is not merely a review of the literature, it is a book with a definite point of view. In the preface she writes: " The universal environmental responsiveness of organisms, along side genes, influences individual development and organic evolution, and this realization compels us to reexamine the major themes of evolutionary biology in a new light". Like The Origin of Species, this book is meticulous in bringing evidence to bear on each issue. Meticulous does not mean boring! The lucid prose is full of passionate intensity and you follow the author's thinking as you both grapple with each challenge. Along the way, we learn a lot of fascinating biology used as examples to bolster particular ideas.
Who should read this book? Anyone interested in understanding the forces at work in the origin and nature of biodiversity. Undergraduates and graduate students with few vested interests in maintaining narrow disciplinary approaches are the most likely to truly enlarge their world view from reading this work. Will you agree with everything in this large and courageous book? Probably not. Just as we are constantly examining Darwin's propositions, this book challenges us to defend and expand our current thinking. Understanding the interrelations of genes, developmental processes and ecology and their consequences for evolution is an ongoing task and this is the kind of book to shape the discourse in the emerging evo-eco-devo integration for at least a generation to come.

Adaptive, flexible phenotypes: A radical, very good idea
This book is meant to educate - to lead away from the sterile debates of causation as NATURE OR NURTURE. It is a monumental achievement by a careful thinker (recent recepient of the SSE's Sewall Wright award), and it will likely change the way you think about how genes and environments interact through development to affect phenotypic expression. If you have ever been confused about ideas in evolutionary process and how phenotypes arise, this is a book you should read. West-Eberhard's treatment of the more-difficult ideas is comprehensive - with enough examples to appeal to the backgrounds of most readers. The book is full of wonderful details of animal behavior, plant biology, the social wasps West-Eberhard has watched her whole life, and much, much more. It will spark much new research - perhaps for decades to come. It will become a citation classic. She has taken on one of the more contentious of all modern debates. For that, for her exhaustive discussion, and for the power of her conclusions, she will be criticized and rediculed. Take my advice: buy the book, read it, think about what it says, and decide for yourself . I think West-Eberhard's achievement is an awesome contribution.

commentary
Did the Boston critic fail to find his or her name cited? Perusal would have turned up references to work published in 2000,2001 and 2002. The review was not helpful! ... Read more

Book Description

This title employs biochemical, cell biological, and genetic approaches to study mitochondrial structure, function, and biogenesis. Also of interest are the consequences of impaired mitochondrial function on cells, tissues, and organs.

The book is organized in a convenient bench-top format. It is full of step-by-step "how to" methods with sample results, interpretations, and pitfalls. There is a unique set of appendices that include gene catalogs, mtDNA maps, and reagents for probing respiratory chain function. Finally, there are applications of state-of-the art microarray and gene chip technologies.

Key Features
* Modern, proven methods that impact on all aspects of mitochondrial structure, function, and biogenesis
* Theoretical basis for all methods; not only how they work, but why they work
* Contributions from leaders in the field, including Guiseppi Attardi, Ron Butow, and Walter Neupert
Topics Covered Include:
* Isolation of mitochondria from commonly used cells and tissues
* Assays for mitochondrial activities, including respiration, ATP production, permeability, protein import, and interactions with the cytoskeleton
* Biochemical and optical methods for studying protein-protein interactions in mitochondria
* Approaches to studying mitochondrial replication, transcription, and translation
* Transmitochondrial technologies
* Methods in microassay data analysis ... Read more

Book Description

This book will be a resource for the experienced tissue engineer, a starting point for the student, and a guidebook for the next generation of tissue engineers. Contained in one volume is a comprehensive reference that combines the tools, experimental protocols, detailed descriptions, and "know-how" for the successful engineering of tissues and organs. The practical information contained in the numerous protocols covers every area of tissue engineering and will prove essential to scientists working in this field. Contributions by leaders in the latest areas of research will also be of interest to biotechnological and pharmaceutical researchers.

Key Features
* Provides comprehensive protocols covering every area of tissue engineering, including polymer synthesis, cell culture, encapsulation, bioreactors, therapeutics, and the creation of tissues and organs;
* Includes contributions by leaders in the latest areas of research, such as stem cells and fetal tissue engineering ... Read more

Book Description

Conceived for both computer scientists and biologists alike, this collection of 22 essays highlights the important new role that computers play in developmental biology research. Essays show how through computer modeling, researchers gain further insight into developmental processes. Featured essays also cover their use in designing computer algorithms to tackle computer science problems in areas like neural network design, robot control, evolvable hardware, and more. Peter Bentley, noted for his prolific research on evolutionary computation, and Sanjeev Kumar head up a respected team to guide readers through these very complex and fascinating disciplines.

* Covers both developmental biology and computational development -- the only book of its kind!
* Provides introductory material and more detailed information on BOTH disciplines
* Includes contribututions from Richard Dawkins, Lewis Wolpert, Ian Stewart, and many other experts ... Read more

Book Description

This book discusses the analysis of gene expression profile data from DNA micorarray studies and the design of such studies. The book will address design and analysis issues for both of the major classes of DNA microarrays, the cDNA microarrays and the oligonucleotide arrays. DNA microarrays are a new technology that is revolutionizing biological and biomedical research. Most biologists are trying to analyze their own data using a variety of commercial and public domain software. This book will provide an authoritative review of the methods available and present it in a manner that is intelligible to biologists. ... Read more

Book Description

This book presents an anatomical overview of the changing form and structure of the human body. Although biomechanical embryology can be traced back to the 19th century, up until recently the most commonly accepted framework for the study of human ontogeny (development of the individual) was molecular biology, which all too frequently relied on findings from animal experiments that remained untested for humans. German embryologist and anatomist Erich Blechschmidt's research concentrates on the evidence presented by the human embryo itself. He offers a new approach to the study of early human growth as a way to shed light on the development of body build, instincts, gestures, language, mathematics, tools, and dress. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Embryology of a spectrum of organisms
This reference, suitable for the interested general reader, does not stress developmental biological principles of a few studied animals, but rather, presents the embryology of the range of multicellular organisms, from sponges to mammals to plants. The reference starts with an overview of metazoan development and larvae. Chapters on the development of mesozoans, poriferans, cnidarians, and ctenophorans then follow. The development of platyhelminthes and nematodes is then presented. The protostome coelomates are then discussed, with chapters on the development of nemerteans, sipunculans and echiurans, gastropods, annelids, arthropods, and lophophorates. The deuterostome coelomates are then discussed, with chapters on the development of echinoderms, tunicates, cephalochordates, fishes, amphibians, reptiles and birds, and mammals. The reference concludes with a chapter on plant life cycles.

Good organism specific embryology text
This text is a great tool for anyone studying a particular organism. Rather than having a topical organization like most embryology texts, this book organizes chapters by organism. I found it very useful in my undergraduate research on the development of the sea urchin, because all of the information I needed was all in one place, whereas other embryology texts had me searching through chapter upon chapter to find what I was looking for. While it is not the most desirable text for learning the principles of embryology, I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking at the development of a specific organism. ... Read more

Book Description

Scientific discoveries about the animal kingdom fuel ideological battles on many fronts, especially battles about sex and gender. We now know that male marmosets help take care of their offspring. Is this heartening news for today's stay-at-home dads? Recent studies show that many female birds once thought to be monogamous actually have chicks that are fathered outside the primary breeding pair. Does this information spell doom for traditional marriages? And bonobo apes take part in female-female sexual encounters. Does this mean that human homosexuality is natural? This highly provocative book clearly shows that these are the wrong kinds of questions to ask about animal behavior. Marlene Zuk, a respected biologist and a feminist, gives an eye-opening tour of some of the latest developments in our knowledge of animal sexuality and evolutionary biology. Sexual Selections exposes the anthropomorphism and gender politics that have colored our understanding of the natural world and shows how feminism can help move us away from our ideological biases. As she tells many amazing stories about animal behavior--whether of birds and apes or of rats and cockroaches--Zuk takes us to the places where our ideas about nature, gender, and culture collide. Writing in an engaging, conversational style, she discusses such politically charged topics as motherhood, the genetic basis for adultery, the female orgasm, menstruation, and homosexuality. She shows how feminism can give us the tools to examine sensitive issues such as these and to enhance our understanding of the natural world if we avoid using research to champion a feminist agenda and avoid using animals as ideological weapons.Zuk passionately asks us to learn to see the animal world on its own terms, with its splendid array of diversity and variation. This knowledge will give us a better understanding of animals and can ultimately change our assumptions about what is natural, normal, and even possible. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Open your mind.
An eye opener for male and female readers alike.

Reconciling feminism and evolutionary biology
University of California, Riverside biology professor Marlene Zuk, whose specialty is insects, especially crickets, makes two main points in this modest volume. One, what is "natural" as observed in nature is not necessary right and should not be used as a guide for human society; and two, how we interpret the behavior of animals is colored by our biases, both anthropomorphic and male-gendered.

Professor Zuk writes from the avowed position of a feminist, although she makes it clear that she is not an "ecofeminist" nor does she agree with those feminists who believe that the exercise of science and "attempts to study the world are just culturally derived exercises relevant only in a certain social context." (p. 16)

In other words, Zuk wants to reconcile the ways of science, especially evolutionary biology, to feminists while pointing out to biologists that many of their preconceptions contain a male bias. She recalls a poem from A.E. Housman that includes the phrase "witless nature" which she takes as a cornerstone for her position. Nature "is not kind, not cruel, not red in tooth and claw, nor benign in its ministrations. It is utterly, absolutely impartial." (p. 15)

From this it follows (for most of us anyway) that we should not draw moral conclusions about how people should behave, nor should we form notions of what is "right" or "wrong" from observations of nature. This is a position that most professionals in evolutionary biology today appreciate, although this was not always the case, as Zuk is quick to remind us. She sees the antiquated notion of scala naturae (from Aristotle) which puts humans at the pinnacle of evolution as part of the reason for the errors of the past. Humans were seen as the positive norm, and to the extent that the behavior of other animals deviated from that they were inferior. Zuk also points to a "male model in biology" assumed by biologists (consciously or unconsciously), as an addition source of bias. She points to the idea that males are more aggressive than females as an example of an unwarranted preconception.

My experience (for what it's worth--I coached girl's basketball some years ago, and believe me the girls were VERY aggressive), and from what I know of aggressiveness theoretically, suggests that females are indeed just as aggressive as males in going after what they want. The reason that women use violence (a kind of aggressiveness) less than men do has to do with social conditioning of course, but also with the fact that a woman's reproductive capability is seldom if ever enhanced by the use of physical force while a male may use force to his reproductive advantage. In the case of non-human animals I am thinking especially of male lions killing the cubs of another male to bring the female into estrus. In the case of humans I am thinking of human males using the spoils of war to gain access to females and to nurture their offspring. (I am NOT thinking of rape since that sort of unsocial, high-risk behavior seldom leads to successful reproduction; more often it leads to ostracization and an early demise for the rapist, a state of affairs that is not adaptive.)

Zuk writes in a witty style that is easy to read. Her target readership is the non-specialist; indeed one gets the sense that she is addressing her undergraduate students. Politically speaking, she steers a middle course between the extremes of the sociobiological right and the socialist left, a fact underscored by the appearance on the cover of endorsements from Matt Ridley on the right, Patricia Adair Gowaty from the left, and Sarah Blaffer Hrdy from somewhere in the middle.

I would give a more ringing endorsement of this book were it not for the fact that there is virtually nothing new in Zuk's very agreeable presentation, and my lingering sense that a person who identifies herself as "feminist" biologist (instead of merely a biologist) is not entirely objective any more than the old guys from the patriarchy were. However, to be fair, at no place in the book does Zuk espouse anything close to a preference for the politically correct at the expense of scientific inquiry, as feminists sometimes do when the conclusions are not what they want. Zuk knows that to make science subordinate to what is politically and socially agreeable is to sacrifice science completely. Indeed, I see this as the profound central message of her book, and a reason to hope this book receives a wide readership.

Learning About Animals, Not About Morals
Marlene Zuk is a biologist, and has specialized in studying insects, especially crickets. Part of the reason she had picked insects for her field is that they are very much unlike humans; she knows that studying primates, dolphins, or other mammals would be harder for her because of a human tendency to anthropomorphize. She says that with insects "it is harder to see myself reflected in their behavior." That sort of recognition of how all of us react to animals informs her remarkable book, _Sexual Selections: What We Can and Can't Learn about Sex from Animals_ (University of California Press), which is full of information about the sex lives of our fellow creatures on the planet, what we have to learn from them, and why we can't apply what we learn to ourselves. She shows that animals have incredibly varied versions of sex, and "... if we try to use animal behavior in a simplistic manner to reflect on human behavior, we will, in myriad ways, misperceive both."

Zuk is a feminist as well as scientist, and is dismayed by the use of examples in biology to represent either feminism or "traditional family values." As a feminist, Zuk was initially heartened by the merging of environmental concern and women's rights into "ecofeminism." "Mother Nature" or some other Earth goddess is frequently invoked, but Zuk demonstrates her doubts that biological lessons show that females tend to be more caring, less aggressive, or more empathetic. She gives examples of, say, reed warbler females who practice infanticide on rivals' eggs, or female wasps that battle fiercely to take control of a colony. There is nothing wrong with showing that females do not have to be passive, but insisting that nature reinforces stereotypes of any sort will not only be futile, it will keep us from learning what animals are really doing. Birds look so industrious and caring in their efforts to make nests and nurture their young that we tend to picture them as examples of propriety, and sermons have been written on the theme. Especially with the advent of easy DNA testing, however, we are learning that males roam around to the territories of other males to intrude upon their females, and that the females were receptive of such attention. Even in the scientific literature, judgmental terms such as "adultery" and "fooling around" have been used for such behavior; perhaps these are simply more fun to say than "extra-pair copulations."

There are surprising revelations here on many areas of animal and human sexuality, homosexuality, male and female orgasms, menstruation, and much more. Zuk knows a wide range of peculiar and completely natural animal behaviors, and her persuasive book shows that we habitually look at such behaviors through our own lenses. We will have to learn our morals elsewhere than from creatures produced by amoral evolution. In a typical humorous aside (this is a witty book that is a pleasure to read), Zuk points out that female snakes may mate with numerous males, even in writhing balls of mating snakes, and this "... must imply what? Orgies are natural? Sexually voracious females are to be applauded?" Skip the morals and object lessons, she demonstrates; intelligent watching of what evolution has produced is far more important. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume of Methods in Cell Biology, the second of two parts on the subject of zebrafish, provides a comprehensive compendia of laboratory protocols and reviews covering all the new methods developed since 1999. This second volume covers advances in forward and reverse genetic techniques, provides an update on the zebrafish genome and gene/mutant mapping technologies, examines the new systems for efficient transgenesis in the zebrafish, provides an in-depth view of informatics and the emerging field of comparative genomics, and considers the extensive infrastructure now available to the zebrafish community. ... Read more