Morphogenesis: The Cellular and Molecular Processes of Developmental Anatomy(Series Number 23 Developmental and Cell Biology Series)

Morphogenesis, the set of processes that generate shape and form in the embryo, remains a central area in developmental biology. This book, first published in 1990, provides an overview of the events and mechanisms of morphogenesis, reviewing the major molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying morphogenetic change and describing how these processes are integrated during normal development. Most of the major embryological systems, both vertebrate and invertebrate, are discussed, with extensive coverage of the molecular mechanisms of morphogenesis involving the extracellular matrix, the membrane and the cytoskeleton. The major focus of the book, however, is on those properties of mesenchymal and epithelial cells responsible for organogenesis, while the extensive reference cover of the historical and contemporary literature (more than 500 titles) provides a useful research tool in this very wide field. This book is aimed at both scholars in the field of embryology, and postgraduate and final-year students in development and anatomy.

Table of Contents:
Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Background; 3. Case studies; 4. The molecular basis of morphogenesis; 5. The morphogenetic properties of mesenchyme; 6. The epithelial repertoire; 7. A dynamic framework for morphogenesis; 8. Pulling together some threads; Appendices; References; Index.

Review :
"...well written, thoughtful, and entertaining, and clearly fills a need for an up-to-date account of the subject." Cell "...excellent critical review of our current knowledge of the physical mechanisms by which organs and tissues are constructed during embryonic development." Science "...a splendid book. It reads like a textbook of (largely vertebrate) morphogenesis. It is comprehensive, extensively referenced and nicely illustrated. It is also up to date, as well as usefully 'historical' in several places." George M. Malacinski, Quarterly Review of Biology "Well written, and overall one of the best books in developmental biology as a whole." L.M. Van Valen, Evolutionary Theory and Review "Morphogenesis, the generation of tissue organization in embryos, is becoming an increasingly important subject. This book provides a comprehensive and contemporary analysis of morphogenetic processes in vertebrate and inbertebrate embryos." H.-J. Halbhuber, Cellular and Molecular Biology "Although Bard presents a focused and technical discussion of morphogenesis, the clarity and depth of the synthesis that he provides render the book appropriate for graduate students and biological scientists specializing in organogenesis, as well as individuals more generally interested in topics in developmental biology....would be an excellent textbook for advanced courses in developmental biology." Lee Xenakis Blonder, American Journal of Human Biology