PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPMENT. FIFTH EDITION

1: History and basic concepts
2: Development of the Drosophila body plan
3: Vertebrate development I: Life cycles and experimental techniques
4: Vertebrate development II: Xenopus and zebrafish
5: Vertebrate development III: Chick and mouse-completing the body plan
6: Development of nematodes and sea urchins
7: Plant development
8: Cell differentiation and stem cells
9: Morphogenesis: change in form in the early embryo
10: Germ cells, fertilization, and sex
11: Organogenesis
12: Development of the nervous system
13: Growth, post-embryonic development and regeneration
14: Evolution and development

- Emphasis throughout on the underlying principles - the commonalities between different organisms and their development - enables students to get a clear sense of the 'big picture' of the subject.
- Key points at the beginning and end of every chapter, with concise summaries at the end of every section, reinforce the essential concepts that students should understand.
- Custom-drawn artwork makes the visualisation of processes and mechanisms in this challenging subject as straightforward as possible.
- Opportunities for problem solving are presented throughout the text and website, including short and long answer questions at the end of each chapter, interactive online MCQs, and online 'Journal Clubs'.

New to this edition
- Custom-made animations of key signalling pathways break down these complex processes into stages, making them easier to understand and remember.
- Online movies drawn from real research illustrate the development of model organisms over time, helping students to visualise developmental processes in three dimensions.
- Further experimental detail, including new Experimental boxes that discuss both classic and current experimental research, demonstrates 'how we know what we know'.
- Medical boxes that explore key developmental diseases place the subject in the context of human health and disease.

How does a single cell develop into myriad different specialised cell types, control the organization of these different cells into tissues and organs, and ultimately form an unimaginably complex living organism such as a human? Furthermore, how is it possible for some adult animals, but not others, to regenerate fully functioning limbs?

Principles of Development opens up the fascinating field of developmental biology to those wanting to understand the answers to questions such as these. Cutting edge science is explained clearly and succinctly and is richly illustrated with a variety of custom drawn figures, animations, and links to online movies that show development happening in real time.

The emphasis throughout the text is always on the key principles of development - the underlying processes shared by diverse groups of organisms. This focus on principles provides a framework on which a richer understanding of specific topics can be built. Moreover, extensive pedagogical support is provided, both in the book and online, making this text the complete package for those studying developmental biology.
Readership: Undergraduates and beginning postgraduates studying developmental biology as part of a bioscience or related degree program.

Author

Lewis Wolpert, Emeritus Professor of Biology, University College London, Cheryll Tickle, Professor Emeritus, University of Bath, and Alfonso Martinez Arias, Professor of Developmental Mechanics, University of Cambridge