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Overview
In Cells, Embryos and Evolution the authors' ambition is to continue what Charles Darwin began: to understand not only the influence of selection on evolution but also the capacity of an organism to generate heritable variation upon which selection can act. Drawing on the theories derived from molecular, cellular and developmental biology in the past 20 years, John Gerhart and Marc Kirschner have begun to explain the origins of phenotypic variation and evolutionary adaptation from within eukaryotic cell biological and developmental processes. This has required them to confront the following paradox: on the one hand, deep cellular and molecular conservation and the extraordinary stability of body plans of the major metazoan phyla; and on the other hand, the rapid diversification of the anatomy and physiology of organisms.Cells, Embryos and Evolution is richly illustrated with examples drawn from modern palaeontology, developmental biology, and cell biology. It sets out to establish a coherent basis for evaluating the role of cellular and embryological mechanisms in evolutionary change.
- A ground-breaking text in the new subject of cellular evolution.
- Written by two extremely distinguished authors.
- Every cell biologist, molecular biologist and evolutionary biologist will want a copy of this book.
The book contains predominantly two-color illustrations, with some black-and-white and full color illustrations.
Editorials
Leo Miller
This book summarizes the cellular and developmental processes that are involved in the origin of phenotypic variation and evolutionary adaptability. It describes the surprising conservation of cellular processes among distantly related organisms and then builds a theory of how these processes lead to phenotypic variation. In this book, the authors have attempted to explain, on a cellular and developmental level, how organisms came to be different. Their stated purpose was to identify the cellular processes most important for evolutionary change. This book is intended for sophisticated students, researchers, and teachers interested in the evolution of developmental processes. In particular, it will be most useful to developmental biologists interested in the development of body plan. There are a reasonable number of high-quality illustrations and colored plates nicely balanced between the eleven chapters. The reference section is up-to-date for most chapters and includes 1996 references. This book provides the first glimpse into how changes in conserved cellular and developmental processes may have led to evolutionary changes in body plan. It provides fascinating arguments of how genetic changes may have produced phenotypic changes via alterations in the conserved cellular and developmental processes. It includes explanations in terms of biochemistry and molecular biology as well as cell and developmental biology. It is written by two of the most highly respected, internationally known developmental biologists. It is highly recommended for purchase by all college and university libraries.From The Critics
Reviewer:Leo Miller, PhD (University of Illinois at Chicago)Description:This book summarizes the cellular and developmental processes that are involved in the origin of phenotypic variation and evolutionary adaptability. It describes the surprising conservation of cellular processes among distantly related organisms and then builds a theory of how these processes lead to phenotypic variation.
Purpose:In this book, the authors have attempted to explain, on a cellular and developmental level, how organisms came to be different. Their stated purpose was to identify the cellular processes most important for evolutionary change.
Audience:This book is intended for sophisticated students, researchers, and teachers interested in the evolution of developmental processes. In particular, it will be most useful to developmental biologists interested in the development of body plan.
Features:There are a reasonable number of high-quality illustrations and colored plates nicely balanced between the eleven chapters. The reference section is up-to-date for most chapters and includes 1996 references.
Assessment:This book provides the first glimpse into how changes in conserved cellular and developmental processes may have led to evolutionary changes in body plan. It provides fascinating arguments of how genetic changes may have produced phenotypic changes via alterations in the conserved cellular and developmental processes. It includes explanations in terms of biochemistry and molecular biology as well as cell and developmental biology. It is written by two of the most highly respected, internationally knowndevelopmental biologists. It is highly recommended for purchase by all college and university libraries.
Book Details
Published
June 17, 1997
Publisher
Malden, Mass. : Blackwell Science, c1997.
Pages
656
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780865425743