This book contains both an extensive philosophical commentary on this dichotomy in views and an exposition of the type of theory most favored by physical scientists. In this theory, living form is a manifestation of the dynamics of chemical change and physical transport or other physics of spatial communication. The Reaction-diffusion theory as initiated by Turing in 1952 and elaborated by Prigogine, Gierer, Meinhardt, and others is discussed in detail. In some respects the book takes up the theme that "the things we see in the cell are less important than the actions we recognize in the...

This description of a model system for cell differentiation and organogenesis is written by one of the foremost researchers in the area. The main emphasis is on the mammalian kidney, but the book also deals with the development of the transien excretory organs. It includes discussions of induction, proliferation, early cytodifferentiation and morphogenesis and organogenesis. This authoritative account will be valuable to developmental biologists and also to scientists working in paediatric nephrology. As it gives the background of normal development and of control systems, it will also be of...

This description of a model system for cell differentiation and organogenesis is written by one of the foremost researchers in the area. The main emphasis is on the mammalian kidney, but the book also deals with the development of the transien excretory organs. It includes discussions of induction, proliferation, early cytodifferentiation and morphogenesis and organogenesis. This authoritative account will be valuable to developmental biologists and also to scientists working in paediatric nephrology. As it gives the background of normal development and of control systems, it will also be of...

The past decade has seen a dramatic increase in our understanding of early animal development. The revised edition of this excellent book describes the results of this revolution and explains in detail how the body plan of an embryo emerges from a newly fertilized egg. The book starts with a critical discussion of embryological concepts, and with simple mathematics describes cell states, morphogen gradients, and threshold responses. The experimental evidence of the mechanisms of regional specification in vertebrates, insects, and selected invertebrates, namely frogs (Xenopus), mice, chicks,...

This timely account provides a comprehensive contemporary analysis of morphogenetic processes in vertebrate and invertebrate embryos. Morphogenesis, the generation of tissue organization in embryos, is an increasingly important subject. This is partly because the techniques for investigating many morphogenetic mechanisms have only recently become available and partly because studying the genomic basis of embryogenesis requires an understanding of the developmental phenotype. Following an introduction covering case studies and historical and technical approaches, the book reviews the...

Fungal Morphogenesis brings together in one book, for the first time, the full scope of fungal developmental biology. The book provides a coherent account of the subject and puts forward ideas that can provide a basis for future research. Throughout, the author blends together physiological, biochemical, structural and molecular descriptions within an evolutionary framework. Sufficient information is provided about fungal biology to give the reader a rounded view of the mycological context within which fungal morphogenesis is played out, without obscuring the broader biological significance....

Many of the 14,000 genes of Drosophila are involved in the development of imaginal discs. These hollow sacs of cells make adult structures during metamorphosis, and their study is crucial to comprehending how a larva becomes a fully-functioning fly. This book examines the genetic circuitry of the well-known 'fruit fly', tackling questions of cell assemblage and pattern formation, of the hows and the whys behind the development of the fly. After an initial examination of the proximity versus pedigree imperatives, the book delves into bristle pattern formation and disc development, with entire...