H. BINDING and J. REINERT In collaboration with the first authors of this volume This volume is devoted to the development of cell clones and plants from ma- nipulated cells: isolated protoplasts, cell fusion bodies, and transformed cells. Isolated protoplasts represent cells which are liberated from their walls and separated from the differentiation pattern of the organism. Investigations on re- generation from protoplasts provide a better understanding of the process and control of developmental pathways. Whereas protoplast isolation results in alteration of the state of differentiation of...

There was a period in the history of modern biology when proteins were thought to be gene products in a rather direct sense. An account of their appearance and disappearance in the course of development and differentiation thus seemed an appropriate means of describing gene regulation. When RNA was found to be the immediate product of genetic activity, the study of proteins as gene products lost some of its original attraction. Indeed, the development of the powerful method of nucleic acid hybridization aroused the hope that a large array of specific messenger-RNA molecules synthesized during...

One of the oldest problems in developmental biology is the differentiation between germ line and somatic cells. The continuity of germ line cells between subsequent generations of multicellular organisms was first suggested by Owen, and later elaborated by A. Weismann to his famous germ line theory. His additional assumption that cellular differentiation was based on a differential representation of the genetic material in somatic cells was soon disproved. In some, apparently exceptional, cases, however, such differences in the genetic material between germ line and somatic cells were...

Spermatogenesis is one of the fundamental but at the same time also one of the most complex differentiation processes in higher eukaryotes. For a long time the development of spermatozoa has been considered as related solely to the needs of transfer of the paternal genome into the egg. Other paternal contributions to the development of the embryo were not seriously considered. Only recently has it become evident, from studies of mouse embryonic development by Solter and colleagues, that also the paternal genome carries regulatory information into the zygote since the development of a mouse...

Introduction.-Probing Astrocyte Function in Fragile X Syndrome.- Neural Stem Cells.- Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein (FMRP) and the Spinal Sensory System.- The Role of the Postsynaptic Density in the Pathology of the Fragile X Syndrome.- Behavior in a Drosophila model of Fragile X.- Molecular and Genetic Analysis of the Drosophila Model of Fragile X Syndrome.- Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein and Stem Cells.- Manipulating the Fragile X Mental Retardation Proteins in the Frog.- Exploring the Zebra finch Taeniopygia gutta as a Novel Animal Model for the Speech-language Deficit of...

In the last two decades, our knowledge on regulatory peptides and their cognate receptors, most of which are members of the seven transmembrane receptor families, has increased enormously. Regulatory peptides are small proteins which, besides their hormonal functions in regulating cellular metabolism in various tissues, may also act as neurotransmitters, and thus they often carry the prefix "neuro." Many of the cognate receptors involved in transducing the peptidergic signal across the cell membrane via a family of G proteins exist in multiple forms, the number of which frequently exceeds...

"Who would believe that so small a space could contain the images of all the universe?" Leonardo da Vinci The last years of the 20th century have found the discipline of Developmental Biology returning to its original position at the forefront of biological re search. This progress can be attributed to the burgeoning knowledge base on molecules and gene families, and to the power of the molecular genetic ap proach. Topping the list of organ systems which have provided the most significant advances would have to be the eye. The vertebrate eye was one of the classic embryologic models, used to...

The first volume of the series, on "The Stability of the Differentiated State" received many favorable reviews from the scientific community. Many readers seem to agree with us that publication of topical volumes is a worthwhile alternative to periodic compilations of rather unrelated, though up-to-date reviews. Production of topical volumes is however, plagued with one great difficulty, that of "author synchronization." This difficulty explains the lag between volumes 1 and 2 of the series. Nevertheless we hope that the present volume will be appreciated as a valuable source of information...

This book presents an overview of various aspects of chromosome research, written by leading experts of the respective fields, combining classic and recent molecular biological results. The variety and comprehensiveness make it a handbook of chromosome research for all scientists, teachers and graduate students interested in this field. Dieses Buch fasst die unterschiedlichen Aspekte der Chromosomenforschung in Beitragen von fuhrenden Wissenschaftlern zusammen, wobei die klassischen Erkenntnisse mit neuesten Forschungsdaten zu einem umfassenden Uberblick uber das Gebiet kombiniert werden

Many naturally occurring biopolymers have unique structures and unique physical or mechanical properties. The understan- ding of the moleclar basisof these biomolecules, their syn- thesis, assembly and processing is a prerequisit for any ap- plication to the design of novel biomolecular materials. Se- veral classes of biopolymers are sampled in depth in this volume, such as nanolaminated ceramics, adhesive proteins, eggshellproteins, protein fibres and silk which are synthe- sized by a variety of organisms (mulluscs, parasitic trema- todes, fish and insects). The reader will be introduced to...