Product Description
Evolutionary developmental biology, also known as evo-devo or EDB, seeks to find links between development and evolution by opening the "black box" of development's role in evolution and in the evolution of developmental mechanisms. In particular, this volume emphasizes the roles of the environment and of hormonal signaling in evo-devo. It brings together a group of leading researchers to analyze the dynamic interaction of environmental factors with developmental and physiological processes and to examine how environmental signals are translated into phenotypic change, from the molecular and cellular level to organisms and groups of organisms. Taken together, these chapters demonstrate the crucial roles of those processes of genetic, developmental, physiological, and hormonal change that underpin evolutionary change in development, morphology, physiology, behavior, and life-history.Part I investigates links between environmental signals and developmental processes that could be preserved over evolutionary time. Several contributors evaluate the work of the late Ryuichi Matsuda, especially his emphasis on the role of the external environment in genetic change and variability ("pan-environmentalism"). Other contributors in part I analyze different aspects of environmental-genetic-evolutionary linkages, including the importance of alternate ontogenies in evolution and the paradox of stability over long periods of evolutionary time. Part II examines the plasticity that characterizes much of development, with contributors discussing such topics as gene regulatory networks and heterochronicity. Part III analyzes the role of hormones and metamorphosis in the evolution of such organisms with alternate life-history stages as lampreys, amphibians, and insects. ... Read more

Product Description

Early Life Origins of Health and Disease is a new book which presents and discusses the many factors that may have impact on normal development. In a concise and readable manner, the authors consider both the proven and suggestive evidence that the high prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and, in some populations, kidney disease, may not be all due to genetics or adult environment alone. There is good evidence that stress and more subtle dietary deficiencies, as well as placental malfunction, may increase the risk that the offspring will develop these problems in later life. Finally, new and emerging evidence for other areas of human health and disease such a motor control and mental health is critically reviewed for the first time. The book is a ‘must’ for all scientists interested in researching these areas, as there is a critical evaluation of the methodology used and suggestions for the ‘optimal’ way in which to investigate these phenomena.

Product Description
The Dictyostelia are soil amoebae capable of extraordinary feats of survival, motility, chemotaxis, and development. Known as the "social amoebae," these organisms have been the subjects of serious study since the 1930s. Research in this area has been instrumental in shaping general views of differentiation, morphogenesis, and communication. Beginning with the history of Dictyostelids, this book considers the problems of the evolution of this multicellular organism. Characterized by its ability to transform from a single-celled organism into an elaborate assemblage of thousands of synchronously-moving cells, each stage of its development is treated in a separate chapter. The special properties of the Dictyostelid genome are rigorously analyzed, and the methods available to manipulate genes are presented in detail. Research techniques that enable many cell biology problems to be approached in studying the organism are also presented. Throughout, the emphasis is on combining classical experiments with modern molecular findings. ... Read more

Product Description

Understanding the mechanisms whereby plant development is regulated is crucial for crop improvement using genetic engineering. This work, comprising two volumes, reviews recent advances in plant developmental biology and explores the possibility of their biotechnological applications.

Volume 2 focuses on development-related areas, including tissue culture (somatic and microspore embryogenesis, somaclonal variation), plant processes (photosynthesis, seed maturation and seed proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, alkaloids, flower pigments and scent), signalling (amino compound-containing lipids, auxins, cytokinins and light), and molecular genetics of developmental regulation (RNA silencing, DNA methylation, epigenetics, activation tagging, homologous recombination and synthetic promoter engineering).

This work is a key reference for plant breeders, researchers and graduate students in the fields of plant biotechnology, agronomy, horticulture, genetics and functional genomics, and cell and molecular biology.

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Book
Sorry that my review is so small.This is a great book about the dichotomy of genes and environment and how there is no real line dividing the 2.It speaks of some of the misconceptions that way of thinking produces.It also discusses some of the common metaphors that have been used in the past relating genes to "blue prints" and the such and how these metaphors should be gotton rid of.The ingredients that go into an oransismand inheritance are many which includes genes, atmosphere, culture, and many more that she discuses.All are important in the construction of an organism and none are more important then any other.She also discuses the silliness of the nature nurture debate.I think this book and way of thinking is very important for science, social sciences and just the everyday [mis]conceptions most people in the western world have of the dualism of genetics and environment. ... Read more

Product Description
Ideal for nonmajors, Discover Biology is renowned for its inviting presentation and accessible coverage of biology fundamentals. This introduction develops scientific literacy with clear, lively prose, compelling real-world applications, and unique features that help students understand the relevance of biology in their lives. The Third Edition has been carefully revised for clarity and ease of use, with helpful new pedagogy, an expansion of the text’s vibrant art program, and a new chapter organization. The Third Edition also features unique, fully integrated multimedia resources for students and instructors.

This flexible text is available in formats to suit every classroom. The Full Edition includes seven units, while the Core Topics Edition omits the chapters on animal and plant physiology. Custom print versions of the Core Topics Edition are available for instructors who wish to teach selected chapters from the animal and plant physiology units. In addition, a customizable eBook allows students to order either the full text or individual chapters.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Textbook
Thank you so much the textbook was rly good and I saved a ton of money on top of my bill for school!

great experience
This was my first purchase on Amazon.com and I was a bit nervous, but it went through without a hitch and I received my used textbook ~very~ quickly.I will definetly do this again! Thanks.

Cheap and Easy
Saved over $100 by purchasing here as compared to the school bookstore! Transaction was effortless, and I am completely satisfied with the book, the price, the condition, and the delivery time. ... Read more

Product Description
Experimental Developmental Biology: A Laboratory Manual is designed for use in college-level laboratory courses in developmental biology. It offers challenging experiments for students to perform as independent investigators as they probe developmental processes in living embryos at the organizational, cellular, and subcellular levels.

* Combines classical embryology with modern experimental methods
* Provides numerous in-depth experiments in each exercise that focus on a single species of an organism
* Concentrates on the living embryos of sea urchins, frogs, chicks, Drosophila, and sponges
* Covers the procedures for gel electrophoresis and microscopy
* Assembles essential references for background and further study
* Offers guidelines for writing lab notes and reports
* Contains an extensive preparer's guide to show students how to set up each lab
* Outlines the theory of optics ... Read more

Product Description
This book traces the history of some of the major ideas in the field and gives an account of our current knowledge of animal cytokinesis. It contains descriptions of division in different kinds of cells and the proposed explanations of the mechanisms underlying the visible events. The author also describes and explains experiments devised to test cell division theories. The forces necessary for cytokinesis now appear to originate from the interaction of linear polymers and motor molecules that have roles in force production, motion and shape change that occur in other phases of the biology of the cell. The localization of the force-producing mechanism to a restricted linear part of the subsurface is caused by the mitotic apparatus, the same cytoskeletal structure that insures orderly mitosis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent resource on cytokinesis literature and history
This is a great book!Dr. Rappaport examines numerous theories of cytokinesis from very early on in cell division research.I can't tell you how much I learned from the book.The only downfall is that the focus ison equatorial stimulation models for furrow formation.Other than that, itseems to be a very objective book and I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Product Description
This monograph provides a comprehensive basis for understanding the complex interactions that take place between synaptic input, cellular properties, and the oscillatory output of a neural network, especially in the maturing or developing nervous system. Emphasis is placed on drawing a parallel betw ... Read more

Product Description
Discover Biology helpsstudents become biologically literatestudents—to progress from science to scientificliteracy.Written from the ground up for nonmajors,Discover Biology is the onlyintroductory biology textbook to presentconsistently applied features in each chapterthat not only demonstrate biology’s everydayrelevance, but teach students how to move fromsimply understanding core biological concepts to actively applying those concepts to our rapidlychanging world. 

Product Description
This acclaimed text has been fully revised and updated, now incorporating issues including aging of the reproductive system, and updates on the chapters on conception and Gamete Transport and Fertilization, and Pregnancy.

Human Reproductive Biology, 3rd edition emphasizes the biological and biomedical aspects of human reproduction, explains advances in reproductive science and discusses the choices and concerns of today. Generously illustrated in full color, the text provides current information about human reproductive anatomy and physiology.

The ideal book for courses on human reproductive biology - includes chapter introductions, sidebars on related topics of interest, chapter summaries and suggestions for further reading.

* All material competely updated with the latest research results, methods, and topics now organized to facilitate logical presentation of topics

* New chapters on Reproductive Senescence, Conception: Gamete Transport, Fertilization, Pregnancy: Maternal Aspects and Pregnancy: Fetal Development

* Full color illustrations, New companion website featuring latest information on current related topics ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A must for learning about sexual developement and reproduction~
I used the previous version of this book in a reproductive endocrinology class several years ago and learned so much (it's a shame how much we don't know about our own bodies)!!!Unfortunately some of the info became outdated (to be expected with cutting-edge science) so I wanted a latest and greatest version.I couldn't be happier with the revisions and updated info!!!

Great!
This seller is awesome! The book came on time and it was brand new. I have no problems and no complaints. If you want to know more about the reproductive aspect and sex, this book is great!

Great purchase!
I purchase this book and it arrived within 3 days, much sooner than I expected.It is in perfect condition, and I have no complaints.I am very satisfied with the purchase!

Great Idea, Poorly Written
I was looking forward to reading this book, and very disappointed. This is the top book for reproductive physiology, and it's the best of what's out there. But what amazed me was that it can be the top seller and still be so poorly written.

What exactly is it about the writing that is weak? The authors provide explanations for some terms/concepts that are incredibly basic (like what is a hormone). But when they get into to meat of the subject, they neglect to provide the "big picture" and instead start laying out the plumbing of girls and boys. My previous courswork in human physiology was the only thing that helped me figure out what they were trying to say.

Nice graphics are actually a distractor, more eye candy and weakly tied to the text. ... Read more

Product Description
Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection was based on the observation that there is variation between individuals within the same species.This fundamental observation is a central concept in evolutionary biology.However, variation is only rarely treated directly.It has remained peripheral to the study of mechanisms of evolutionary change.The explosion of knowledge in genetics, developmental biology, and the ongoing synthesis of evolutionary and developmental biology has made it possible for us to study the factors that limit, enhance, or structure variation at the level of an animals' physical appearance and behavior.Knowledge of the significance of variability is crucial to this emerging synthesis. This volume situates the role of variability within this broad framework, bringing variation back to the center of the evolutionary stage.

·Provides an overview of current thinking on variation in evolutionary biology, functional morphology, and evolutionary developmental biology
·Written by a team of leading scholars specializing on the study of variation
·Reviews of statistical analysis of variation by leading authorities
·Key chapters focus on the role of the study of phenotypic variation for evolutionary, developmental, and post-genomic biology ... Read more

Product Description
In the past few decades, sources of inspiration in the multidisciplinary field of cognitive science have widened. In addition to ongoing vital work in cognitive and affective neuroscience, important new work is being conducted at the intersection of psychology and the biological sciences in general. This volume offers an overview of the cross-disciplinary integration of evolutionary and developmental approaches to cognition in light of these exciting new contributions from the life sciences.

This research has explored many cognitive abilities in a wide range of organisms and developmental stages, and results have revealed the nature and origin of many instances of the cognitive life of organisms. Each section of Cognitive Biology deals with a key domain of cognition: spatial cognition; the relationships among attention, perception, and learning; representations of numbers and economic values; and social cognition. Contributors discuss each topic from the perspectives of psychology and neuroscience, brain theory and modeling, evolutionary theory, ecology, genetics, and developmental science.

Contributors: Chris M. Bird, Elizabeth M. Brannon, Neil Burgess, Jessica F. Cantlon, Stanislas Dehaene, Christian F. Doeller, Reuven Dukas, Rochel Gelman, Alexander Gerganov, Paul W. Glimcher, Robert L. Goldstone, Edward M. Hubbard, Lucia F. Jacobs, Mark H. Johnson, Annette Karmiloff-Smith, David Landy, Lynn Nadel, Nora S. Newcombe, Daniel Osorio, Mary A. Peterson, Manuela Piazza, Philippe Pinel, Michael L. Platt, Kristin R. Ratliff, Michael E. Roberts, Wendy S. Shallcross, Stephen V. Shepherd, Sylvain Sirois, Luca Tommasi, Alessandro Treves, Alexandra Twyman, Giorgio Vallortigara

Vienna Series in Theoretical Biology ... Read more

Product Description

With the advent of modern methodology, the phenomenal complexity of the protein components and regulatory steps involved in mitosis has become approachable. In Mitosis: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field provide an up-to-date collection of methods and approaches that are used to investigate the mechanism of mitosis at the molecular level. Ideal for both experienced and novice scientists, the volume includes step-by-step methods covering inactivation of genes of interest, depletion of proteins of interest, biochemical and microscope-based techniques, and procedures to monitor and measure key mitotic processes. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include brief introductions to the respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Comprehensive and authoritative, Mitosis: Methods and Protocols combines imaging, biochemical, and genetic methodologies in order to best guide researchers in their attempts to better understand the crucial processes of mitotic regulation.

Product Description
The study of plant development using molecular and genetic techniques is rapidly becoming one of the most active areas of research on flowering plants. The aim of this book is to present a sense of the accomplishments of the past and of the outstanding problems of the future in the study of plant development. An important feature of this book is the integration of results from molecular and genetic studies on various aspects of plant development in a cellular and physiological context. Of particular interest to readers will be the clear treatment of each landmark stage in the life cycle of plants such as seed germination, seedling growth, flowering, gametogenesis, pollen-pistil interactions, embryogenesis, fruit ripening, and seed and bud dormancy. The book also considers the development of individual plant organs such as the shoot, leaf, root and flowers as well as alternate developmental strategies of plants. Appropriately, emphasis is placed on new insights on the molecular and genetic biology of plant development obtained from model systems like Arabidopsis and maize.

The book is intended as a text for courses in plant development for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in plant biology, botany or agriculture. The book will also be of interest to any biologist wishing to gain an understanding of current and future perspectives in the development of flowering plants. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Comprehensive review
This is a good book for advanced botany and plant biology students.The author has a comprehensive literature review. ... Read more

Product Description
This book contains both an extensive philosophical commentary on this dichotomy in views and an exposition of the type of theory most favored byphysical 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 cell", which was a major theme of D'Arcy W. Thompson's classic 1917 work On Growth and Form. ... Read more

Product Description
The field of evolutionary biology arose from the desire to understand the origin and diversity of biological forms. In recent years, however, evolutionary genetics, with its focus on the modification and inheritance of presumed genetic programs, has all but overwhelmed other aspects of evolutionary biology. This has led to the neglect of the study of the generative origins of biological form.Drawing on work from developmental biology, paleontology, developmental and population genetics, cancer research, physics, and theoretical biology, this book explores the multiple factors responsible for the origination of biological form. It examines the essential problems of morphological evolution--why, for example, the basic body plans of nearly all metazoans arose within a relatively short time span, why similar morphological design motifs appear in phylogenetically independent lineages, and how new structural elements are added to the body plan of a given phylogenetic lineage. It also examines discordances between genetic and phenotypic change, the physical determinants of morphogenesis, and the role of epigenetic processes in evolution. The book discusses these and other topics within the framework of evolutionary developmental biology, a new research agenda that concerns the interaction of development and evolution in the generation of biological form. By placing epigenetic processes, rather than gene sequence and gene expression changes, at the center of morphological origination, this book points the way to a more comprehensive theory of evolution. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Documents the major problems with neo-Darwinism
Origination of Organismal Form: Beyond The Gene In Developmental And Evolutionary Biology is a collection of excellent essays by scientists who assume Darwinian evolution, but whose work reveals various major evidential and conceptual problems with the theory. They are part of a growing number of scientists who find major problems with Darwinism but are not any type of creationist. The problems with Darwinism are usually buried deep in technical publications but they are there if one looks. Anyone with the training and inclination to read this book could benefit greatly from it.I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in evolutionary biology. We can no longer ignore these problems. They are too great and must be dealt with. This book is an excellent introduction to these problems. A must read book!!!

In Search of a Theory of Evolution
The public Darwin debate doesn't really match the progress of biological research. And experts in the field seem reticent to point to the limits of the standard theories. Here we are told plainly,Darwinism has no theory of the generative. And the breakthroughs in developmental genetics fail to explicate the sources of organismic form. The text acknowledges that concern with the gene has overshadowed all other aspects of the discussion.
This highly interesting, not too technical, work explores the work being done on evolutionary innovation. A theory of evolution should explicate both innovation and diversification.But natural selection can only explain how what already exists is maintained or transformed in the process of ecological survival. The standard explanations of variation and natural selection do not really explain this '
source of form' aspect of evolution, and we are presented with ambiguous statements about an evolutionary toolkit, in the developmental version, whose origins could not spring from the processes described in the Neo-Darwinian Synthesis. It seems an advance that a technical work by experts in the field would point this out. This is a very useful glimpse of the real work needed in biology, and should prove a useful refuge from the confusing public discourse on evolution that is generally less than helpful. ... Read more

Product Description
Comprised of essays by top scholars in the field, this volume offers detailed overviews of philosophical issues raised by biology.

• Brings together a team of eminent scholars to explore the philosophical issues raised by biology
• Addresses traditional and emerging topics, spanning molecular biology and genetics, evolution, developmental biology, immunology, ecology, mind and behaviour, neuroscience, and experimentation
• Begins with a thorough introduction to the field
• Goes beyond previous treatments that focused only on evolution to give equal attention to other areas, such as molecular and developmental biology
• Represents both an authoritative guide to philosophy of biology, and an accessible reference work for anyone seeking to learn about this rapidly-changing field

Product Description
The Handbook of the Biology of Aging, Sixth Edition, provides a comprehensive overview of the latest research findings in the biology of aging. Intended as a summary for researchers, it is also adopted as a high level textbook for graduate and upper level undergraduate courses.

The Sixth Edition is 20% larger than the Fifth Edition, with 21 chapters summarizing the latest findings in research on the biology of aging. The content of the work is virtually 100% new. Though a selected few topics are similar to the Fifth Edition, these chapters are authored by new contributors with new information. The majority of the chapters are completely new in both content and authorship.

The Sixth Edition places greater emphasis and coverage on competing and complementary theories of aging, broadening the discussion of conceptual issues. Greater coverage of techniques used to study biological issues of aging include computer modeling, gene profiling, and demographic analyses. Coverage of research on Drosophilia is expanded from one chapter to four. New chapters on mammalian models discuss aging in relation to skeletal muscles, body fat and carbohydrate metabolism, growth hormone, and the human female reproductive system. Additional new chapters summarize exciting research on stem cells and cancer, dietary restriction, and whether age related diseases are an integral part of aging.

The Handbook of the Biology of Aging, Sixth Edition is part of the Handbooks on Aging series, including Handbook of the Psychology of Aging and Handbook of Aging and the Social Sciences, also in their 6th editions. ... Read more