Cell-Cell Signaling in Vertebrate Development

Cell-Cell Signaling in Vertebrate Development provides a comprehensive discussion of cell-cell interactions in vertebrate development and the molecular signals that mediate them. The book is divided into six parts, arranged according to major developmental phenomena demonstrated in illustrative systems derived from amphibian, avian, mammalian, and piscine sources. Part I introduces the mechanisms of gene activation in the context of early vertebrate development. Part II is concerned with cellular contacts and the induction process. Cell-cell interactions are illustrated through analyses of neurogenesis in the mouse; embryonic induction is considered in the frog and in the chick. Part III deals with cell migration and differentiation. It examines cell lineages in the frog eyebud; migration phenomena in connection with axon guidance in the embryonic rat spinal cord and mouse visual system; pathfinding by primary motoneurons; and the formation of terminal arbors in zebrafish embryos. Part IV discusses developmental processes that depend on diffusible signals and signal gradients. Part V illustrates pattern formation as exemplified in the developing chick hindbrain and in urodele limb regeneration. Part VI highlights gene expression and its regulation by transcription factors or growth factors in rodent development.