Principles of Development [Hardcover]

Wolpert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 13, 2001

"Principles of Development" is designed for undergraduates. The emphasis is on principles and key concepts. Central to the authors' approach is that development can best be understood by understanding how genes control cell behaviour. They have assumed that students have some basic familiarity with cell biology and genetics, but all key concepts, like the control of gene activity, are explained in the text, and an extensive glossary is provided too. The authors have resisted the temptation to cover every aspect of development and have instead focused on those systems that best illuminate common principles. Indeed, a theme that runs throughout the book is that there are universal principles governing development. At all stages what they have included has been guided by what they believe undergraduates should know about development. The focus of the text is on vertebrates and Drosophila, but not to the exclusion of other systems, such as the nematode and the sea urchin, where they best illustrate a concept. An important feature of the book is the inclusion of the development of plants, which is usually neglected in other textbooks, but has some unique and important features. Principles are presented as clearly as possible and numerous summaries are provided, both in words and in pictures. The illustrations in the book are a special feature, and have been carefully designed and chosen to illustrate both experiments and mechanisms. This book includes: updated throughout with the very latest research. Includes 32 completely new figures. Improved text design makes the book easier to read. Chapter 3 is now clearer on the comparative basis of body axis specification in vertebrates. Chapter 4 contains a longer and improved explanation of somite generation and differentiation. A reorganized Chapter 9 deals with the relationship of gene expression to cell differentiation in a more simplified way. There is an important addition of material highlighting functional differentiation of a range of new vertebrate tissues and structures in Chapter 10 (the vertebrate heart and vascular system, lung and tooth, with skin development moved forward from Chapter 14), whilst more is included on arthropod neuroblast and compound eye development in Chapter 11. In the final chapter, new pages are added to support the section on phylogeny and functional morphogenesis in evolution, including storylines on snakes and kiwis. There is also a discussion on variable growth rates in homologous structures and the evolution of the gastrula. This is all material, which increases the book's ability to enthuse students about the relationships of development to evolution - something which really does get them going!

Editorial Reviews

Review

`Review from previous edition Wolpert has done well, both in relation to the selection of which topics to include and in the level of detail at which they are presented ... Wolpert has taken great care to make things as clear and simple as he can.' Nature

`... the illustrations are the best I have ever seen. They are absolutely perfect ... The way in which they illuminate mechanisms, experiments and results will be a great help to students. ...All aspects of biology, from the historical to the epistemological, are beautifully presented. ...I am not a plant biologist but I agree that here we have `the best presentation of plant development available' (Scott Poethig, Philadelphia), even though the main focus is on vertebrates and Drosophila and other animal systems.' European Journal of Histochemistry

`"With the inclusion of new teaching support materials, Wolpert can be used as an all-sufficient textbook for students at first and second year level."' BSDB Newsletter 44, Winter 2001

"This is a second edition of a clearly written undergraduate textbook that emphasises the fundamental ways in which genes control the course of development leading from embryos to adult forms". The Times Higher Education Supplement, November 2002.

About the Author

Lewis Wolpert is at Professor of Biology as Applied to Medicine, University College London. Rosa Beddington is at Head of the Division of Mammalian Development at the National Institute for Medical Research, London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 568 pages
• Publisher: Oxford Higher Education; 2nd edition (December 13, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198792913
• ISBN-13: 978-0198792918
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,846,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A good source of pretty pictures for your lecture presentation...., December 21, 2005

By 

Schmoo - See all my reviews

This review is from: Principles of Development (Hardcover)

I used Wolpert's text for an undergrad developmental course. Given that the test assumes previous coursework in genetics/biochemistry, the content of the book could've been more in depth, especially in the chapters on vertebrates. Sometimes extra detail makes the big picture easier to understand; this book leaves a little too much to mystery and results in a confused reader. The glossary and index leave much to be desired. On a more positive note, the illustrations and photographs are as good as you'll find in any textbook. However, I suggest Gilbert's text.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars CAUTION: not a good intro to development, September 22, 2003

By 

"avemur1" (Naperville, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Principles of Development (Hardcover)

I am currently using this text for my 300 level developmental biology class. You know the saying, "a picture is worth a thousand words", well, this book is a thousand words without the pictures. It is very cumbersome to read. You know there is a problem when a book makes more sense when read in reverse. I am being very serious. FOr example, the author will be overly vague in introducing a topic, but still use specific terms without any prior introdution. Vital details necessary to understanding the text are given when needed. Throughout, terms are used before definitions are given, which makes the reader go nuts trying to figure out the meanings of more than half of the sentences.
Seriously, i do not understand the "excellent" reviews that others have given it.
I think it may be true that this book is VERY Comprehensive, but as far as clarity, theres none for students trying to understand the basics and a little more. If you are a professor, and know the material, then this book is probably a pleasure to read.
If you are like me, and just want to have a thorough understanding of the basics of developement, it would be in your best interest to look elsewhere.

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Textbook, January 24, 2000

By 

"ananja" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Principles of Development (Hardcover)

Wolpert's developmental biology textbook is evidently an excellent text in its field. The authors are all well recognized in thier research areas. The organization of the text is also very well written. The summary of the concept presented at the end of each chapter is helpful. The figures presented througout the text are clear and the language used to explain them is simple but very understandable. Compared with the well-known Gilbert's text, this text may be less in dept but you can get the concept from this book for only half of the time reading Gilbert's. It is a nice book to have both for the new beginner in the field and for just a quick reference.