Developmental Biology

"A concise account of what we know about development discusses the first vital steps of growth and explores one of the liveliest areas of scientific research."--P. [2] of cover.

Essential Developmental Biology is a comprehensive, richly illustrated introduction to all aspects of developmental biology. Written in a clear and accessible style, the third edition of this popular textbook has been expanded and updated In addition, an accompanying website provides instructional materials for both student and lecturer use, including animated developmental processes, a photo gallery of selected model organisms, and all artwork in downloadable format. With an emphasis throughout on the evidence underpinning the main conclusions, this book is an essential text for both introductory and more advanced courses in developmental biology. Shortlisted for the Society of Biology Book Awards 2013 in the Undergraduate Textbook category. Reviews of the Second Edition: "The second edition is a must have for anyone interested in development biology. New findings in hot fields such as stem cells, regeneration, and aging should make it attractive to a wide readership. Overall, the book is concise, well structured, and illustrated. I can highly recommend it." —Peter Gruss, Max Planck Society "I have always found Jonathan Slack's writing thoughtful, provocative, and engaging, and simply fun to read. This effort is no exception. Every student of developmental biology should experience his holistic yet analytical view of the subject." —Margaret Saha, College of William & Mary

Many changes that occur during the embryonic development of an individual animal can be seen as a parallel to changes that have occurred in species or groups of species during evolutionary time. This book covers the interaction between developmental and evolutionary changes in animals.

No field of contemporary biomedical science has been more revolutionized by the techniques of molecular biology than developmental biology. This is an outstanding concise introduction to developmental biology that takes a contemporary approach to describing the complex process that transforms an egg into an adult organism. The book features exceptionally clear two-color illustrations, and is designed for use in both undergraduate and graduate level courses. The book is especially noteworthy for its treatment of development in model organisms, whose contributions to developmental biology were recognized in the 1995 Nobel Prize for physiology and medicine.

Scientific Frontiers in Developmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment reviews advances made during the last 10-15 years in fields such as developmental biology, molecular biology, and genetics. It describes a novel approach for how these advances might be used in combination with existing methodologies to further the understanding of mechanisms of developmental toxicity, to improve the assessment of chemicals for their ability to cause developmental toxicity, and to improve risk assessment for developmental defects. For example, based on the recent advances, even the smallest, simplest laboratory animals such as the fruit fly, roundworm, and zebrafish might be able to serve as developmental toxicological models for human biological systems. Use of such organisms might allow for rapid and inexpensive testing of large numbers of chemicals for their potential to cause developmental toxicity; presently, there are little or no developmental toxicity data available for the majority of natural and manufactured chemicals in use. This new approach to developmental toxicology and risk assessment will require simultaneous research on several fronts by experts from multiple scientific disciplines, including developmental toxicologists, developmental biologists, geneticists, epidemiologists, and biostatisticians.

TO ACCESS THE DEDICATED TEXTBOOK WEBSITE, PLEASE VISIT www.blackwellpublishing.com/slack Essential Developmental Biology, 2nd Edition, is a concise and well-illustrated treatment of this subject for undergraduates. With an emphasis throughout on the evidence underpinning the main conclusions, this book is suitable as the key text for both introductory and more advanced courses in developmental biology. Includes new chapters on Evolution & Development, Gut Development, & Growth and Aging. Contains expanded treatment of mammalian fertilization, the heart and stem cells. Now features a glossary, notated further reading, and key discovery boxes. Illustrated with over 250 detailed, full-color drawings. Accompanied by a dedicated website, featuring animated developmental processes, a photo gallery of selected model organisms, and all art in PowerPoint and jpeg formats (also available to instructors on CD-ROM). An Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at [email protected] for more information.

Major Problems in Developmental Biology contains the proceedings of the 25th Symposium of the Society for Developmental Biology, held in Haverford, Pennsylvania, in June 1966. The papers explore some of the major problems in developmental biology, particularly those relating to cell differentiation, movements, and death; patterning; and intercellular regulation in plants. Organized into 11 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the growth and development of developmental biology as a scientific discipline, with emphasis on the role of the Society for Developmental Biology, and in particular its symposia, in the emergence of the field. The book then discusses the intra- and extracellular factors impinging upon the nucleus and regulating cell differentiation. Some chapters focus on the dynamics of determination in cell systems of insects, morphogenetic movements of animal cells, and patterns at the cell and tissue levels. The reader is also introduced to the correlations between protein structure and function in relation to cell dynamics and differentiation, along with the physiological, biochemical, and molecular biological aspects of intercellular regulation in plants and the role of cell surface in carcinogenesis. The book concludes by suggesting directions for research into the ontogeny of behavior. This book is a valuable source of information for developmental biologists.