Xenopus

The need to better understand the molecular, b- chemical, and cellular processes by which a developing neuronal system unfolds has led to the development of a unique set of experimental tools and organisms.

The process whereby a single cell, the fertilized egg, develops into an adult has fascinated for centuries. Great progress in understanding that process, h- ever, has been made in the last two decades, when the techniques of molecular biology have become available to developmental biologists. By applying these techniques, the exact nature of many of the interactions responsible for forming the body pattern are now being revealed in detail. Such studies are a large, and it seems ever-expanding, part of most life-science groups.

The modular structure of the text, and the transparency of its organization, make it easy for instructors to choose their own path through the material and for students to revise; or for working scientists using the book as an up-to-date reference to find the topics they want, and as much of the conceptual context of any individual topic as they may need.