GENERAL EMBRYOLOGICAL INFORMATION SERVICE 1966 (supplement to the eleventh issue) Marine Biological Laboratory L I B RARY FEB1 31967 WOODS HOLE, MASS. ISSUED BY THE HUBRECHT LABORATORY ssued by the Hubrecht Laboratory on be nali or the General Embryological In formation Service Foundation Uppsalalaan 1, Universiteitscen trum ,,De Uithof " Utrecht — Netherlands CONTENTS a) Changes of address (institutes and personal addresses) p. 5 b) Communications from the Hubrecht Laboratory p. 7 c) Communications of the "Institut International d'Embryologie" . . . p. 8 d) Announcements of recently published books on development and related subjects p. 9 5 Changes of address Institutes LAB. OF ANAT., Fac. of Med., Univ. of Gent, Ledeganckstraat 35, GENT, Belgium ZOOL. INST., Univ. Koln, Weyertal 119, 5-KoLN-Lindenthal, Deutsche Bundesrepublik INST. FOR VERGL. TIERPHYSIOL., Univ. Koln, Weyertal 119, 5- KoLN-Lindenthal, Deutsche Bundesrepublik Personal addresses ALLEN R. D. B.A.. Ph.D., M.I.I.E. — Dept. of Biol. Scis., State Univ. of New York, ALBANY, N.Y., U.S.A. BALLS, M. M.A., Dr.Phil. — School of Biol. Scis., Univ. of East Anglia, NORWICH, England BIGGERS, J. D. Ph.D., F.R.C.V.S., Prof. — Johns Hopkins School of Hyg. and Publ. Health, BALTIMORE. Md.21205, U.S.A. BRACHET, J. L. A. M.D., D.Sc, M.I.I.E., Prof. — Lab. de Morphogen. exper. et de Physiol, cellulaire, 67 rue des Chevaux, RHODE-ST-GE- NESE, Belgium EGELHAAF, A. Dr.rer.nat., Prof. — Zool. Inst., Univ. Koln, Weyertal 119, 5-KoLN-Lindenthal, Deutsche Bundesrepublik FICQ, Mrs A. A. Dr.en Sci.Biol., M.I.I.E. — Lab. de Morphogen. exper. et de Physiol, cellulaire, 67 rue des Chevaux, RHODE-ST-GENfiSE, Belgium fFRANKENBERGER, Z. MUDr., Dr.Sc, Prof. (Emer.) — Inst, of Em- bryol., Fac. of Med., Charles Univ., Albertov 4, PRAGUE 2, Czecho- slovakia (deceased) GOTTSCHEWSKI, G. H. M. Dr.phil.habil., Prof. — Arbeitsgruppe G. H. M. Gottschewski, Max-Planck-Inst. fur Immunbiol., Stefan Maier Stras- se 8, 78 FREIBURG i.Br., Deutsche Bundesrepublik GURAYA, S. S. M.Sc, (Hons.), Ph.D. — Dept. of Zool., Udaipur Univ., UDAIPUR, India fHEUSER, C. H. M.I.I.E., Prof. — Eugene Talmadge Memorial Hosp., Med.Coll. of Georgia, AUGUSTA, Ga., U.S.A. (deceased) KELLY, W. A. B.Sc. — Dept. of Anat., Med. School, Univ. of Birmingham, Edgbaston, BIRMINGHAM 15, England fKONOPACKA, Mrs. B. Dr., M.V.S.S., Prof. (Emer.) — Veter. Inst, of Histol. and Embryol., High School of Agricult., Grochowska 272, WARSZAWA, Poland (deceased) LYSER Miss K. M. A.B., M.A., Ph.D. — Dept. of Biol. Scis., Hunter Coll. of the City Univ. of New York, NEW YORK, N.Y., U.S.A. MASUI, Y. D.Sc — Dept. of Biol., Osborn Memorial Lab., Yale Univ., NEW HAVEN, Conn.06520, U.S.A. RAWLES (SPURBECK), Mrs. M. E. Ph.D., M.I.I.E. — R.F.D. Route 3, Box 109A, EMPORIA, Va. 23847, U.S.A. SAUNDERS, J. W. B.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.I.I.E., Prof. — Lab. of Anat., School of Veter. Med., Univ. of Pennsylvania, PHILADELPHIA, Pa.19104, U.S.A. SOLOMON, J. B. Ph.D. — Dept. of Microbiol., Univ. of Adelaide, ADE- LAIDE, S.Australia STEINBERG, M. S. B.A., M.A., Ph.D., Prof. — Dept. of Biol., Princeton Univ., Box 704, PRINCETON, N.J.08540, U.S.A. fVAINIO, E. T. M.D. — Lab. of Exp. Embryol., Dept. of Physiol. Zool., Univ. of Helsinki, Arkadiankatu 7, HELSINKI, Finland (deceased) fWEBER, A. M.I.I.E., Prof. (Emer.) —Lab. de Neurohistol., Inst. d'Anat., Fac. de Med., Univ. de Geneve, 20 Rue de l'Ecole de Med., GENEVE, Suisse (deceased) WEBSTER, G. C. B.Sc. Ph.D. — Strangeways Research Lab., Wort's Causeway, CAMBRIDGE, England WILLIAMS, Mrs. M. LYMAN B.S., M.D. — Dept. of Publ. Health, Phila- delphia General Hosp., 34th St. and Curie Ave., PHILADELPHIA, Pa.19104, U.S.A. WOLPERT, L. B.Sc, D.I.C., Ph.D., Prof. — Dept. of Biol, as appl. to Med., Middlesex Hosp. Med. School, LONDON W.l, England YOUNG, B. A. M.B., B.S., Ph.D. — Dept. of Anat., Med. School, Univ. of Birmingham, Edgbaston, BIRMINGHAM 15, England ZIMMERMANN, W. Dr.rer.nat. — Arbeitsgruppe G. H. M. Gottschewski, Max-Planck-Inst. fur Immunbiol., Stefan Maier Strasse 8, 78 FREI- BURG i.Br., Deutsche Bundesrepublik 7 Communications from the Hubrecht Laboratory I S em i - c en t e n a r y of the Hubrecht Laboratory In 1966 the Laboratory celebrated its 50th anniversary. To commemorate this fact, a two-day Embryological Conference was held at the Laboratory on September 19 and 20, 1966. Its audience consisted mostly of Dutch scientists. In his opening address, Prof. Chr. P. Raven, Chairman of the Supervising Committee, gave a retrospect of the history of the Laboratory. Prof. M. W. Woerdeman (Amsterdam) reviewed some Dutch contributions to descriptive and comparative embryology from the late sixteenth to the early twentieth century. Selective topics of developmental biology, most of which were related to research being carried out at the Hubrecht Laboratory, were discussed by six distinguished speakers, viz. Profs. Et. C. Wolff (Nogent), J. K. F. Holtfreter (Rochester, N.Y.), E. Hadorn (Zurich), J. T. Bonner (Princeton, N.J.), F. E. Lehmann (Bern), and A. Monroy (Palermo). Profs. A. M. Dalcq (Brus- scl), L. Gallien (Paris), and S. I. Toivonen (Helsinki) acted as Session Chairmen. Opportunity was provided for discussions of the foreign guests with the members of the scientific staff of the Laboratory. II The international team project The sixth international research team in embryology will meet from February 1st till July 31st, 1968. Its central topic will be: "Cell contacts and their role in morphogenesis and cyto-differentiation". A circular pertaining to this team has been sent to all institutes active in the field of developmental biology. Individual investigators may apply for a copy. Preliminary applications of young post-graduates in the biological, medical or veterinary sciences should be submitted as soon as possible. Definitive applica- tions should reach the Hubrecht Laboratory before July 1st, 1967. III Foreign guests Two guests from South Africa, Dr. A. L. Smit from Durban and Dr. M. J. Toerien from Stellenbosch, stayed at the Laboratory during the first half of 1966. They both learned techniques of experimental embryology as applied to amphibian development; Dr. Smit further studied the potentialities of the outer and inner layers of the neurectoderm in Xenopus laevis, while Dr. Toerien extended his previous work on the formation of the nasal capsule to various amphibian species. Dr. W. Achtelik from Zabrze, Poland stayed at the Laboratory from April till September. He studied oogenesis in flatworms and molluscs with the aid of the electron microscope. Dr. L. Hearson from East Lansing, Mich, arrived in May for a period of one year, and Dr. J. E. Foret from Princeton, N.J. in September for a stay of two years. They both study aspects of limb regeneration in the axolotl with various techniques, including histochemistry, autoradiography, and tissue culture. Mr. B. R. Rao from Baroda, India stayed at the Laboratory for the fourth year in succession. He will shortly finish his Ph.D. thesis on neural differentia- tion tendencies in the neurectoderm of the early chick embryo, and hopes to receive his degree from the University of Utrecht by the beginning of 1967. Communications of the „Institut International d'EmbryoIogie" (Embryological Section of the I.U.B.S.) The I. I.E. announces with deep regret the death of its Emeritus Member A. Weber (Geneve). The next General Assembly and International Congress will be held in France in 1968. The tentative topic of the Congress is "Nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions in development." Chairman of the Organizing Committee is Prof. L. Gallien, Laboratoire d'EmbryoIogie, Fac. des Sci. de Paris, 9 Quai St. Ber- nard, Paris 5e. He will supply details of the Congress on request, as soon as these are available. The procedure for the application for membership and for the acceptance of new members is as follows: a) Candidates for membership can be proposed by two members at any time. The Board screens the applications once or twice a year, and decides about acceptance by simple majority of votes among its members. b) The requirement for membership is that the candidate should have made a substantial contribution to the field of developmental biology. The Board decides whether a particular applicant meets this standard. c) Candidates should submit a curriculum vitae and a list of their public- ations to Prof. P. D. Nieuwkoop, Hubrecht Laboratory, Uppsalalaan 1, Uni- versiteitscentrum "De Uithof", Utrecht, Netherlands. The present composition of the Board and the latest membership list are to be found in the "General Embryological Information Service", Supplement to the 10th issue (1964). The Adjunct Secretary-treasurer, P. D. Nieuwkoop Announcements of recently published books on development and related subjects Instruction 1. BALLARD, W. W., 1964 — Comparative anatomy and embryology 2. BARTH, L. J., 1964 — Development - Selected topics 3. DAVEY, K. G., 1965 — Reproduction in the insects 4. RAVEN, Chr. P., 1966 — An outline of developmental physiology (3rd edit.) 5. SPRATT Jr., N. T., 1965 — Introduction to cell differentiation 6. WADDINGTON, C. H., 1966 — Principles of development and differ- entiation Research 7. AUSTIN. C. R., 1965 — Fertilization 8. BONNER, J., 1965 — The molecular biology of development 9. DEUCHAR, E. M., 1966 — Biochemical aspects of amphibian devel- opment 10. HAY, E. D., 1966 — Regeneration 11. KOHN, A., 1965 — Vorlesungen iiber Entwicklungsphysiologie (2nd edit.) 12. MONROY, A., 1965 — Chemistry and physiology of fertilization 13. PINEAU, H., 1965 — La croissance et ses lois 14. RAVEN, Chr. P., 1966 — Morphogenesis; the analysis of Molluscan development (2nd edit.) 15. STOLL, R. and R. MARAUD, 1965 — Introduction a l'etude des mal- formations 16. WEBER, R. (Edit.), 1965 — The biochemistry of animal development (Vol. 1) Symposium reports etc. 17. LOCKE, M. (Edit), 1965 — Reproduction: molecular, subcellular, and cellular 18. LYNE, A. G. and B. F. SHORT (Edits.), 1965 — Biology of the skin and hair growth 19. RAMAKRISHNAN, C. V. (Edit.), 1965 — Tissue culture 20. ROBSON, J. M., F. M. SULLIVAN and R. L. SMITH (Edits.), 1965 — Embryopathic activity of drugs 21. Brookhaven National Laboratory. 1965 — Genetic control of differen- tiation 22. International Lecture Course Wageningen, 1966 — Cell differentiation and morphogenesis Plant morphogenesis 23. SCHOEPP, O., 1966 — Meristeme; Wachstum und Formbildung in den Teilungsgeweben hoherer Pflanzen 24. VEYRET, Y., 1965 — Embryogenie comparee et blastogenie chez les Orchidaceae-Monandrae 10 1 COMPARATIVE ANATOMY AND EMBRYOLOGY 1964 by W. W. Ballard The Ronald Press Cy. 626 pp., 434 figs. New York Price: $ 10.~ This book developed out of an effort to design an integrated course in vertebrate morphology for college students. It thus combines both comparative anatomy and embryology of the vertebrates in one continuous text. It is written in a personal and captivating style. The organization of the subject matter is unconventional. The book is in six parts, of which the first (38 pages) discusses in outline the classification of vertebrates and the three key concepts: development, evolution, and homology. Part II (40 pages) starts with a brief discussion of tissues and organs, and then proceeds with what may be called the pivot of the whole book, a chapter entitled "Anatomy of the vertebrate pharyngula". The "pharyngula" is an abstraction defined as a postneurula stage characterized by the presence of pharyngeal clefts. Since the pharyngula shows the basic pattern of vertebrate anatomy in a relatively standardized form, it is taken as a point of departure for the remainder of the book, and thus the conventional chronological treat- ment is abandoned. Part III (124 pages) then deals with development up to the pharyngula stage, whereas the remaining parts treat development and comparative anatomy beyond the pharyngula stage. In these parts again the conventional treatment (by organ system or by species) is abandoned. Instead, part IV (164 pages) discusses the developmental anatomy of the head, and part V (78 pages) that of the trunk, tail, and appendages. Finally, part VI (150 pages) deals with the visceral, reproductive, and regulative apparatus (the latter comprising the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine glands). Much attention is devoted to functional and adaptive aspects throughout the book. Also, relevant findings of experimental developmental morphology are interwoven throughout the text. In part III an entire chapter (24 pages) is devoted to the causal analysis of early development. The book is illustrated with a large number of original drawings. Most are executed in simple techniques and are more or less schematized. Although not intended to provide realistic pictures, they adeauately complement the text, and are usually clearly labeled. Each of the 30 chapters is concluded by a short list of selected references. The book is concluded by an extensive subject index. A notable feature of the book is uniformity of terminology. PNA terms are used throughout, either in their Latin forms or, more frequently, in English translation, and eponyms have been replaced by their PNA equivalents. The table of contents gives chapter headings only. The book's usability for purposes of reference could have been increased by listing the section subheadings at the beginning of each chapter. 11 2. DEVELOPMENT - SELECTED TOPICS 1964 by L. J. Barth Addison-Wesley Publishing Cy. "Principles of Biology" Series Reading (Mass.) - Palo Alto - London 121 pp., 28 figs.. 3 tbs. (paper-bound) This text was originally intended for a one-semester course in "biological concepts", but it can also be used as supplementary reading for undergraduate courses in zoology, embryology, or genetics. The underlying idea for the book was to provide a detailed study of experiments which have been basic to the development of concepts in a specific area of biology, in this case "nucleo- cytoplasmic interactions in development". The book is written in a deliberately chronological style, with the first experiments of W. Roux and the writings of A. Weismann as the starting point. The discussion is largely based on experi- ments performed with amphibian eggs and embryos. After three brief introductory chapters there follow seven chapters which discuss consecutively: tracking the germ cells; nuclear equivalence versus nuclear differentiation; quantity of nuclear materials as a factor in develop- ment; the problem of nuclear differentiation; hybrid embryos and development; nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions in hybrid embryos; and finally molecular genetics and the embryo. The book is adequately illustrated with line drawings and some photographs. There is a list of 74 selected references and a short index. It is unfortunate that the title of the book does not reflect the specific topic (nucleo- cytoplasmic interactions) around which the discussion centres. 3. REPRODUCTION IN THE INSECTS 1965 by K. G. Davey Oliver & Boyd "University Reviews in Biology" Series Edinburgh - London 106 pp., 21 figs. Price: 12s. 6d. (paper-bound) This short book was written primarily for students. It is useful for a quick orientation in the field of insect reproduction. The treatment is of course highly selective. Emphasis is placed on functional and physiological aspects through- out. Topics of special interest to embryologists, such as oogenesis, fertilization, parthenogenesis, viviparity, and alternation of generations, are each alotted a few pages. Polyembryony is treated only very briefly. The book is illustrated with simple drawings. It has a bibliography of 136 titles and a very brief subject index. A more detailed subject index would have increased the usefulness of the book. 12 4. AN OUTLINE OF DEVELOPMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY 3rded., 1966 by Chr. P. Raven Pergamon Press International Series of Monographs Oxford etc. in Pure and Applied Biology 236 pp., 63 figs., 16 pis. The 2nd edition of this widely known little book appeared in 1959. The present edition has again been slightly revised by the inclusion of new im- portant literature up to 1963, and the elimination of some older less relevant material. The organization and size of the book have hardly changed. Among the new subjects included are the genetic code and gene activation, cortical grafting experiments in amphibians, and dis- and reaggregation ex- periments with embryonic chick cells. The paragraphs on the submicroscopic structure of the cytoplasm have been brought in accordance with newer findings. The number of photographic plates has been increased from ten to sixteen. 5. INTRODUCTION TO CELL DIFFERENTIATION 1965 by N. T. Spratt Jr. Chapman & Hall Ltd. "Selected Topics in Modern Biology" London Series Price: 10s. 6d. 124 pp., 41 figs., 3 tbs. (paper-bound) This booklet opens another new series of paperback editions intended for beginning students of biology. There are by now at least five such series published in English, and all of these contain a volume devoted to develop- mental biology (M. Sussman, 1961/64; L. J. Barth, 1964, see review no. 2 above; J. D. Ebert, 1965; N. T. Spratt, 1965; C. H. Waddington. 1966, see review no. 6 below). However, all of these differ more or less markedly in scope and approach. The present book is the most concise of the ones mentioned, and perhaps the one that most clearly bears the mark of the author's primary interest, i.e. differentiation in early chick development. This is intentional, and it lends an admirable unity to the book. The treatment is kept at a simple level, and is didactically lucid. The author's starting point is that true comprehension of the nature of cell differentiation requires its study in the context of normal development. After an introductory chapter three chapters deal with definitions, chronol- ogy, and mechanisms of cell differentiation. The next three chapters discuss the role of the micro-environment, the stability of cell types, and the role of the genes in cell differentiation. The final chapter deals with supracellular patterns of cell differentiation. The chapters range in size from 8-18 small-size pages. The book is illustrated with simple but clear line drawings and a number of photographs pertaining to the chick blastoderm and embryo. It is concluded by a short list of selected readings (mostly recent Symposium reports) and a subject index. 13 6. PRINCIPLES OF DEVELOPMENT AND DIFFERENTIATION 1966 by C. H. Waddington The Macmillan Company "Current Concepts in Biology" Series New York 125 pp., 47 figs. Collier-Macmillan Ltd. (paper-bound) London Price: 15s. This booklet forms part of a series of paperback editions intended for beginning biology students. The book is elementary in scope, but the approach is thoroughly modern, and much emphasis is placed on the most recent findings, particularly in the fields of cell ultrastructure. molecular biology, and gene action. The book is concerned with principles only. The great problems of biological organization are clearly brought out. The book is in five chapters, the first two of which discuss the basic facts and fundamental problems of development. Among other things, these chapters contain sections on embryology and evolution, the development of plants, embryology and genetics, gene activity, and molecular biology. Chapter 3 deals with histogenesis ("differentiation in time"), chapter 4 with regionalization and the control of gene activity ("differentiation in space"), and chapter 5 with morphogenesis ("differentiation in shape"). Some of the sections may be specifically mentioned, such as "genes and proteins", "the canalization of development", and "nuclear transplantation" in chapter 3, and "the control of gene sequences" and "genetic switch mechanisms" in chapter 4. The book is illustrated with line drawings and diagrams, most of which have explanatory legends. No literature references are given in the text or in the figure legends. The book is concluded by a selective (but rather arbitrary) list of books and articles for further reading, and a short alphabetical index. The book contains a number of annoying printing errors. The figures are mostly redrawn from other authors without stating the origin. They do not always match the text satisfactorily. 7. FERTILIZATION 1965 by C. R. Austin Prentice-Hall Inc. "Foundations of Developmental Englewood Cliffs, N.J. Biology" Series Price: 21s. 145 pp., 84 figs., 5 tbs. (paper-bound) This monograph, together with that by A. Monroy (see review no. 12 below), may be said to take the place of Rothschild's book written ten years previously (Lord Rothschild, "Fertilization", 1956). On comparing the two new books, it may be said that the one by Austin follows a broader and more "biological" approach, while that by Monroy penetrates more deeply into certain specific aspects of the subject, particularly those concerned with biochemistry. In this respect the two books complement each other well. The purpose of the present author has been to provide general knowledge of fertilization in its comparative aspects, and of the various cytological, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms concerned with the union of the 14 gametes. Examples are drawn from an extensive range of animal and plant forms, including bacteria and unicellular organisms. The book opens with a chapter devoted to general cytology (14 pages). This is followed by a chapter entitled "Significance of fertilization", in which the respective roles of mitosis, meiosis, and syngamy in the economy of the organism (propagation, development, and evolution of the race) are explained (15 pages). The remaining five chapters discuss form and differentiation of gametes, ap- proximation of gametes, contact and fusion of gametes, immediate consequences of fertilization, and finally unusual and abnormal forms of fertilization. These chapters range in size from 14 to 30 pages, the longest being that on contact and fusion of gametes. The book is profusely illustrated with good drawings and photographs. There is a selected and partly annotated bibliography of 10 pages, conveniently arranged by sub-headings. More than half of the titles cited date from the years elapsed since the publication of Rothschild's monograph. The book is concluded by a good subject index. 8. THE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF DEVELOPMENT 1965 by J. Bonner Clarendon Press 161 pp., 34 figs., 21 tbs. Oxford Price: 25s. It is common knowledge to-day that one of the fundamental keys to the problem of development is the selective activation of genes. To outline our present knowledge of this process in molecular terms is one of the purposes of this book. Better than by an enumeration of the twelve short chapters which it contains, is the book characterized by a free quotation from the "flap" of the dust cover: "The problem of development is first formulated within the framework of molecular biology, and it is shown that the developmental process may be considered as the programmed and orderly repression and derepression of in- dividual genes. This control and programming of genetic activity is then considered on three levels, namely, 1 ) the material nature of the repressor of gene activity, 2) the nature of the genetic switching unit (the nature of the act by which genetic activity is turned on and off), and 3) the nature of the switching network by means of which the individual switching units are integrated into developmental systems. The book provides throughout not only underlying theory, but also description in depth and detail of the experimental procedures of molecular biology as they may be used by the developmental biologist." The author draws his examples from both the animal and plant kingdom, but since he himself has worked with plant material, the latter predominates. For instance, much attention is devoted to the action of plant hormones as effector substances. In the last chapter a theoretical model is proposed for a relatively simple developmental "switching network", which is based on plant morphogenesis. However, it is basically valid for animal developing systems as well. In the unifying discipline of molecular biology the distinction between plants and animals loses its significance. 15 The book is illustrated with graphs and diagrams. Each chapter has its own brief bibliography, conveniently arranged by sub-headings. The book is con- cluded by a subject index. 9 BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS OF AMPHIBIAN DEVELOPMENT 1966 by E. M. Deuchar Methuen & Co. Ltd. Methuen's Monographs on London Biological Subjects Price: 30s. 215 pp., 100 figs. It is now six years since the publication of Brachet's "The Biochemistry of Development". The author of the present monograph, who has taken an active share in the recent development of amphibian chemical embryology, has set out to compile a small and selective critical account of the recent advances in this field. The coverage is restricted largely to amphibians, although references to work on avian embryos have been included whenever necessary. The author writes from the point of view of the embryologist whose interest is in the biochemical basis of the development of structure in the embryo as an integrated whole. Consequently, the classical findings of experimental em- bryology are considered only with regard to their possible biochemical inter- pretations. One of the aims of the book is to interest biochemists in the problems of morphological development. The many uncertainties and problems that still require investigation are stressed throughout the book. After a brief introductory chapter the book starts with an outline of amphibian embryonic and postembryonic development from a morphological point of view. The next 7 chapters then discuss biochemical aspects of develop- ment in successive periods, starting with oogenesis and ending with metamor- phosis and regeneration. The last chapter is a general survey and discusses time curves for various physiological and biochemical processes, patterns of protein synthesis, and yolk utilization throughout development. A brief con- cluding section considers the biochemical basis of differentiation in general terms. The whole subject of metabolic inhibitors and competitive inhibition of metabolism by structural analogues has purposely been omitted from the book, because of the difficulties of interpretation attendant upon such work. The large majority of the references in the 21 -page bibliography date from the last ten years. The book is illustrated with many graphs, clear diagrams and drawings, and a number of good photomicrographs. It is concluded by a subject index. Unfortunately the important work of Vahs (1962) on the parallel cytochemical changes in the inductor and in the reacting ectoderm, accompanying heterogeneous induction in urodeles, is not discussed. 16 10. REGENERATION 1966 by E. D. Hay Holt, Rinehart & Winston "Biology Studies" Series New York etc. 158 pp., 52 figs. Price: 38s. This booklet forms part of a series which is intented for mature students, but which may also be of value to research workers for rapid orientation in a given field. The treatment is by no means exhaustive, but it is up-to-date and points out important research problems for the future. The present book is organized in four chapters, of which the first three discuss regenerative phenomena in the successive animal phyla and classes in "phylogenetic" order. "Phylogenetic" charts are provided for acoelomate and coelomate invertebrates, and for the vertebrates. The last chapter deals with the cytology of regeneration cells, which is the author's own specific field of research. In chapter 1 (invertebrates, 40 pages) one section deals with asexual re- production and its relation to regeneration, while 8 short sections present an outline of regeneration and its causal analysis in the major invertebrate phyla. In chapter 2 (lower vertebrates, 38 pages) the main emphasis is on the causal analysis, physiology, and cytology of regeneration of the amphibian eye lens and limb. Chapter 3 (mammals, 17 pages) discusses physiological regeneration, reparative regeneration, and the healing of skin wounds. In the first of these sections some attention is devoted to the biochemistry of the mitotic cycle. Chapter 4 starts with sections on cell fine structure and function as applied to "neoblasts" and blastema cells, and proceeds with a re-evaluation of the "reserve cell" problem, and of the concepts of differentiation, dediffer- entiation, and "totipotency". This part of the book is the most original and thought-provoking. The book is illustrated with many good figures, most of them with extensive legends which serve to expand points mentioned only briefly in the text. Several of the figures are electron-micrographs or autoradiography. The biblio- graphy covers 15 pages. The book is concluded by author and subject indexes. 11. VORLESUNGEN UBER ENTWICKLUNGSPHYSIOLOGIE 2nd ed., 1965 by A. Kuhn Springer Verlag 599 pp.. 620 figs. Berlin - Heidelberg - New York Price: DM 58.— The first edition of this unusual book appeared in 1954. It is a collection of lectures held during a long life of teaching, and bears the strong personal mark of the author, who was trained in the classical German tradition of "Ent- wicklungsmechanik". The value of the book lies in its extraordinarily broad scope, its "organismic" approach to the subject, and its unifying theoretical framework. The book should not be regarded as a textbook, but as a selection of examples from a wide range of organisms, chosen to illustrate important causal principles of development. It is especially important that so much of the material discussed relates to plants and a variety of unicellular organisms. As might be expected in a book of this kind, a number of lacunae could be pointed out. However, the book contains much information and thought that 17 has no general currency among animal embryologists, and is not often found in embryological texts. Particularly experimental morphologists may use it with profit. The second edition has been extensively revised. It is nearly 100 pages longer than the first, the number of illustrations has been augmented by about one third, and the number of literature references increased by nearly one half to more than 750. Three new lectures were added, two dealing with regener- ative processes (in invertebrates only), and one with the relationship between developmental physiology and evolution. Asexual reproduction in lower animals and vertebrate regeneration are not considered. The production of the book is excellent. 12. CHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF FERTILIZATION 1965 by A. Monroy Holt, Rinehart & Winston "Biology Studies" Series New York etc. 160 pp., 43 figs., 7 tbs. Price: $ 4.50 The present monograph complements that by C. R. Austin (see review no. 7 above). Its scope is more selective, since it concentrates mainly on the eggs of marine invertebrates. On the other hand, the treatment of the physiological, and more particularly the biochemical aspects of fertilization is much more extensive and penetrating. After a brief introductory chapter the five main chapters of the book deal with the following subjects: The interaction between eggs and spermatozoa (20 pages); The penetration of the spermatozoon (22 pages); The cell mem- brane: its structural and physiological changes at fertilization (25 pages); Surface changes, activation of the egg, and formation of the zygote nucleus (8 pages); The metabolic study of fertilization (41 pages). For non-specialists in the field of fertilization the last-mentioned chapter, which also contains a brief section on the physiology of egg maturation, is perhaps the most interesting one, since it deals with the very first beginnings of embryonic development in the strict sense. As the author points out in his concluding remarks, the fact that release of an inhibition of the egg nucleus is involved may have important implications for the problem of gene activation in development. A related point is the unknown function of cytoplasmic DNA in the egg. The book is well-printed and illustrated with graphs, drawings, and photo- graphs. The latter are not printed on glossy paper, but are nevertheless sufficiently clear for the purposes of the book. The bibliography covers 26 pages; nearly half of the literature cited dates from the period which has passed since the publication of Rothschild's monograph on fertilization in 1956. The book is concluded by a subject index. 18 13 LA CROISSANCE ET SES LOIS 1965 by H. Pineau Laboratoire d'Anatomie 367 pp., 71 figs., 1 1 tbs. de la Faculte de Medecine (paper-bound) de Paris This monograph was published and produced in offset printing by the Laboratory of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Paris. It is concerned largely with human pre- and postnatal growth and its mathematical analysis, and will consequently be primarily of interest to medical anatomists and embryologists. However, the extensive treatment of the theoretical foundations for formal mathematical analysis of growth processes may render it valuable for those generally interested in growth of higher organisms. The book is in four chapters, the first of which contains a survey of the historical development of mathematical "laws of growth", and a critical dis- cussion of these laws. Chapter two considers soms aspects of human growth (particularly postnatal), while chapter three is concerned with the variability of morphological characteristics, and with theoretical considerations concerning human prenatal growth. Finally, chapter four, entitled "Croissance et develop- pement", discusses the relationships between the qualitative and quantitative aspects of human development. The book has a bibliography of 1 1 pages, which serves at the same time as an author index. The very detailed table of contents partly compensates for the absence of an alphabetical index. 14. MORPHOGENESIS The analysis of Molluscan development 2nd revised and enlarged edition 1966 by Chr. P. Raven Pergamon Press International series of Monographs Oxford etc. on pure and applied Biology Price: 37s. 6d. 378 pp., 66 figs., 12 pis. (paper-bound) This is a paperback edition of the well-known book first published in 1958. The first seven chapters constitute a reprinting of the original book by a photographic procedure. A final chapter has been added, entitled "Further contributions to molluscan development in the years 1956-64". This covers 40 pages and is subdivided into sections running parallel to the chapters of the original book. The various items discussed are linked up to the original text by page references. The chapter is rounded off by five conclusions summarizing the progress made during the last eight years. It has its own bibliography of 10 pages, which is about half the length of the main bibliography. The original text-figures and plates are reproduced in this edition. The new chapter is not illustrated. The author, taxonomic, and subject indexes have been adapted. Most of the text-figures have not lost much in reproduction, but the plates have unfortunately lost much of their detail. On the other hand, the reduction of the book's price by about one half is very welcome. 19 15 INTRODUCTION A L'eTUDE DES MALFORMATIONS 1965 by R. Stoll and R. Maraud Gauthier-Villars Monographies de physiologie causale, Paris vol. 5, 205 pp., 8 figs., 15 tbs. (paper-bound) This monograph presents a general survey of our knowledge concerning spontaneous and induced malformations in birds and mammals, including man. Exhaustive treatment of the subject was not intended. The organization of the subject matter is clear and logical. Chapter I deals with the morphology of the main malformations known to-day. In this chapter, the authors follow in main outline the classification given by Geoffroy Saint- Hilaire. and still generally used by French authors. Chapter II discusses the methods of experimental teratology and their factual results. All known methods of interference with embryonic development are reviewed. In chapter III the mechanisms leading to malformation are con- sidered in two sections, one dealing with morphogenetic, the other with physiol- ogical mechanisms. In the latter section the phenomenon of specific reactivity receives special attention, and the various teratogenic agents are once again discussed, this time with emphasis on their modes of action. The final chapter deals with the aetiology of so-called spontaneous mal- formations. Special sections are devoted to the role of genetic factors, infectious diseases, and ionizing radiations. Experimental teratology, particularly in mammals, has greatly expanded during the last five years. Most of this expansion is not reflected in this book; the far greater part of the literature cited is older than 1960. On the other hand, the book is useful as a guide to the older literature, which is relatively well represented. The bibliography numbers more than 800 titles. The book is very sparsely illustrated and has no indexes. The detailed table of contents makes up in part for the lack of a subject index. 16. THE BIOCHEMISTRY OF ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT Vol. I: Descriptive Biochemistry of Animal Development 1965 Editor: R. Weber Academic Press 661 pp., 98 figs., 13 tbs. New York - London Price: $ 23.— Contributors: Brachet (Brussels), Collier (Woods Hole, Mass.), Deuchar (London), Grant (Washington, D.C.), Gustafson (Stockholm), Monroy (Palermo), Moog (St. Louis, Miss.), Solomon (London), Staehelin (Basel), Williams (Cambridge). This collaborative treatise in two volumes is intended to introduce advanced students already familiar with elementary embryology and biochemistry to various areas of biochemical embryology. Each chapter is an authoritative review of a particular area, written by an active investigator. Emphasis has been placed on areas of contact between experimental embryology and bio- chemistry, in other words, on the selectivity of structural-chemical interactions (including ultrastructure and topochemistry). 20 Volume I has an Introduction by J. Brachet on the history of chemical embryology, and is further organized in three parts, viz. 1 ) Biochemistry of germ cells and fertilization (chapters by Williams and Monroy), 2) Bio- chemical patterns in embryos (chapters by Gustafson, Collier, and Deuchar), and 3) General biochemistry of development (chapters by Moog, Solomon, Staehelin, and Grant). The third part discusses selective aspects of the ontogeny of enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins, including the problem of information transfer in development. The book is well-produced. It is concluded by extensive author and subject indexes. Volume II will have the subtitle "Biochemical control mechanisms and adaptations in development". 17. REPRODUCTION: MOLECULAR, SUBCELLULAR, AND CELLULAR 1965 Editor: M. Locke Academic Press 24th Symposium of the Society New York - London for Developmental Biology 355 pp., 84 figs., 13 tbs. Contributors: Atwood (Urbana, 111.), Dulbecco (San Diego, Calif.), Epstein (Waltham, Mass.), Hauschka (Baltimore, Md.), Inman (Urbana, 111.), Kohn (Cleveland, Ohio), Konigsberg (Baltimore, Md.), Mundry (Tubingen), Nisonoff (Urbana, 111.), Schiff (Waltham, Mass.). Srb (Ithaca, N.Y.), Stern (Urbana, 111.), Swanson (Baltimore, Md.). Tulecke (Yonkers, N.Y.), Young (Baltimore, Md.). This book embodies the papers read at the 24th Symposium of the series known so far as the "Growth Symposia". Now that the "Society for the Study of Development and Growth", which sponsors these Symposia, has changed its name into" Society for Developmental Biology", the Symposia are perhaps more properly designated as "Developmental Biology Symposia". The 24th Symposium was held in Carleton, Minnesota, in June 1965. All par- ticipants except one came from the U.S.A.. The papers are arranged in three sections, entitled "Reproduction at the molecular level" (4 papers), "Reproduction of subcellular systems" (4 papers), and "The reproduction of cells" (3 papers). The book is opened by a theoretical introduction to the subject by Herbert Stern, which at the same time serves as a summary of the Symposium. The first two sections will be of particular interest to molecular biologists and geneticists. They contain discussions of such subjects as gene action, anti- body specificity, virus-host interaction, chromosome reproduction, and extra- chromosomal heredity. The third section contains two papers which are of specific interest to embryologists, viz. "Haploidy and diploidy in the repro- duction of cell type", by W. Tulecke, and "Cell and tissue interactions in the reproduction of cell type", by I. R. Konigsberg and S. D. Hauschka. Among other things, both papers consider the problem of differentiation, but from entirely different angles. The former paper draws predominantly on evidence from plant tissues, whereas the latter deals exclusively with vertebrate em- bryonic cells, particularly myoblasts. The third paper of this section is by R. R. Kohn and deals with cellular and organismic factors in processes of 21 aging. The discussions held at the Symposium are not recorded. The book is adequately illustrated and concluded by author and subject indexes. The use of the word "reproduction" in the title and in the section subtitles suggests a unity which is in fact absent. In particular, there is very little relation between the first two sections and the last, and it might have been better to keep the third section as the subject for a separate Symposium; as it is, the three rather unrelated papers of this section hardly do justice to this important subject. 18. BIOLOGY OF THE SKIN AND HAIR GROWTH 1965 Editors: A. G. Lyne and B. F. Short Angus 6 Robertson 817 pp., 406 figs., 85 tbs. Sydney Price: £ 10.10.0. Contributors: Billingham, Brody, Carter, Casey, Caulfield, Chapman, Chase, Clarke, Cohen, Crounse, Dolnick, Downes, Dry, Ebling, Epper, Ferguson, Fraser, Gillespie, Griem, Hamilton, Hayman, Henderson, Houssay, Hutchinson, Johnson, Larsson, Lindner, Ling, Lyne, McGrath, Maderson, Madgic, Malkinson, Matoltsy, Molyneux, Pazo, Pinkus. Priestley, Quay, Quevedo, Rawles, Reis, Rogers, Roth, Rougeot, Rudall, Schinckel, Setchell, Short, Silvers, Slee, Straile, Szabo, Thorburn, Van Scott, Waites, Wallace, Wickham, Wilgram, Wilson, Winkelmann. This large volume contains the 46 papers read at a Symposium held in Canberra in August 1964. The purpose of the Symposium was to bring to- gether active workers in different areas of skin biology from all over the world. The countries best represented were Australia, the U.S.A., and England. It is impossible to enumerate the wide range of topics treated. Every specialist in the fields of skin biology and hair growth will want to possess the book, which is a mine of information. Here we will restrict ourselves to mentioning those papers which may be considered to be of more general interest to our readers. They are the following: "Tissue interactions in the morphogenesis of the feather" (M. E. Rawles, Baltimore, Md.); "The structure and development of the squamate epidermis" (P. F. A. Maderson, Hong Kong); "The dermal papilla" (J. Cohen, Birmingham); "Morphology of the mammalian skin: embryonic development of the epidermal sub-layers" (I. Brody and K. S. Larsson, Stockholm); "Chemical regulation of development in the feather" (H. L. Hamilton, Charlottesvilles, Va.); "Replacement kinetics of integumental epithelia" (E. J. Van Scott, Bethesda, Md.). The book is well-printed and well-illustrated. The numerous photographs are well-reproduced. The book is concluded by author and subject indexes. 19. TISSUE CULTURE 1965 Editor: C. V. Ramakrishnan Dr. W. Junk Publ. 446 pp., 138 figs., 58 tbs. The Hague Price: $ 19.40 This volume contains the report of a Symposium held at the University of Baroda, India, in January 1965. The Symposium had close to 90 participants; about a quarter of these came from various countries outside India. Most of the papers presented are short, and most report on original research. Discussions are not recorded. 22 The book has an introduction by Prof. H. B. Fell, and is in two parts, Animal and Plant tissue culture respectively. Part I is subdivided into three sections, 1) Organ and explant culture (9 papers), 2) Cell culture (12 papers), and 3) Tissue culture in virology (7 papers). Section 1 has two introductory papers by H. B. Fell ("The technique of organ culture" and "The application of organ culture to medical and biological research"). It furthermore contains three papers on chick embryo long bones in vitro (two by Japanese and one by Indian workers). Section 2 has an introductory paper by J. Paul ("Animal cell culture in cell biology research"). Nine out of the 12 papers in this section are by British and American workers. One of the 16 papers of Part II may be mentioned specifically: "Morpho- genesis in tissue cultures; totipotency of cultured cells" by Mohan Ram and Mridul Wadhi. Most of the other papers will be of interest to students of plant embryology and morphogenesis. The book is adequately illustrated and concluded by author and subject indexes. 20. EMBRYOPATHIC ACTIVITY OF DRUGS 1965 Editors: J. M. Robson, F. M. Sullivan J. & A. Churchill Ltd. & R. L. Smith London 317 pp., 32 figs., 40 tbs. Price: 60s. Invited participants.- Beck (Cardiff), Bergel (London), Binns (Logan, Utah), Cahal (London), Cohen of Birkenhead (Liverpool), Fabro (London), Faigle (Basel), Fouts (Iowa City, Iowa), Fritz (Basel), Gillman (Cambridge), Giroud (Paris), Hamilton (London), Hunter (Sitting- bourne), Jackson (Manchester), Keberle (Basel), Kelsey (Washington, D.C.), Kniisel (Basel), Lenz (Hamburg), Lloyd (Cardiff), Loustalot (Basel), Lutwak-Mann (Cambridge), Mann (Cam- bridge), Poulson (London), Robson (London), Schmid (Basel), Schumacher (London), Slater (Harrow), Smith (London), Smithells (Liverpool), Somers (Hull), Sullivan (London), Tuch- mann-Duplessis (Paris), Venning (Bucks), Williams (London). The Symposium of which this book contains the proceedings was held in March 1965 in London under the auspices of the Biological Council. There were 34 invited participants, 12 of whom came from various countries outside Great Britain. The audience consisted of more than 400 medical and biological scientists. The book contains 16 papers, most of which are concerned with drug- induced malformations in mammals and man. Three papers deal with the chemistry, metabolism, and mechanism of action of thalidomide; two papers discuss the evaluation of data on congenital malformations in human pop- ulations, while two other papers deal with legal aspects of the problem. The book opens with two contributions of a general nature, one on embryological principles of teratogenesis (Beck and Lloyd, 20 pages), and one on pharmac- ological principles of teratogenesis (Robson, Poulson, and Sullivan, 14 pages). The Symposium was organized in sessions of two papers each, and each session was concluded by a discussion in which also members of the audience participated. The discussions are recorded; they occupy about a quarter of the book, and contain much additional information, including literature ref- erences. The book is well-printed and adequately illustrated. It is concluded by a subject index. 23 21 GENETIC CONTROL OF DIFFERENTIATION 1965 Brookhaven National Laboratory Brookhaven National Laboratory Brookhaven Symposia in Biology, Upton, New York vol. 18. 277 pp., 110 figs.. 24 tbs. Price: $ 3.— (paper-bound) Contributors: Allen (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Clever (Lafayette, Ind.), Davidson (New York, N.Y.), Ganschow (Buffalo, N.Y.), Hadorn (Zurich), McClintock (Cold Spring Harbor, NY.), Mirsky (New York, NY.), Paigen (Buffalo, N.Y.), Pavan (Oak Ridge, Tenn.), Schultz (Philadelphia, Pa.), Siegel (Los Angeles, Calif.), Smith (Baltimore, Md.), Stebbins (Davis, Calif.), Sussman (Waltham, Mass.). Umbarger (Lafayette, Ind.), Ursprung (Baltimore, Md.), Werz (Wilhelms- haven). The 18th Brookhaven Symposium was held at Upton, N.Y. in June 1965. It had more than 300 participants; of the 18 contributors, two came from countries other than the U.S.A. All contributors are active workers in the field concerned. The 14 papers range in size from about 10 to about 30 pages, and most are followed by short discussions in which members of the audience took part. The papers are arranged in six groups (sessions) of 1 - 3 papers each, which discuss the genetic control of differentiation at the biochemical level, at the chromosome level, in lower forms (ciliates and slime molds), in multi- cellular animals (snails, insects, amphibians, and mammals), and in plant development (algae and higher plants). The book is well-illustrated and has a subject index and an index of speakers. 22. CELL DIFFERENTIATION AND MORPHOGENESIS 1966 International Lecture Course North-Holland Publishing Cy. Wageningen, The Netherlands Amsterdam 217 pp., 100 figs., 13 tbs. Price: 72s. Contents: General introduction, general factors of embryonic differentiation (E. Wolff): Differentiation at the level of the chromosomes (W. Beermann); Factors affecting differentiation of plant tissues grown in vitro (R. J. Gautheret); Leaves and buds: mechanisms of local induction in plant growth (C. W. Wardlaw); Induction and pattern formation as primary mechanisms in early embryonic differentiation (P. D. Nieuwkoop); Hormonal regulation of plant development (J. A. D. Zeevaart); Hormonal regulation of differentiation in insects (V. B. Wigglesworth). This book embodies the seven lectures presented at an International Sym- posium held at the Agricultural University of Wageningen, Netherlands, in April 1965. All lectures are extensive reviews summarizing the present status of knowledge in their respective fields. They range in size from 23 - 45 pages, and together provide an overall view of the problems of differentiation and morphogenesis in a variety of developmental systems. Discussions are not recorded. A noteworthy feature of the book is the confrontation of the zool- ogical and botanical approaches to the central problem of differentiation. One paper approaches the subject at the subcellular level. The other six papers largely confine themselves to the cellular and supracellular levels. Two of these focus mainly on hormonal regulation of differentiation. The developing systems represented are the plant embryo, the plant meristem, plant tissues 24 in vitro, the developing insect, and finally vertebrate embryos. The subject of regeneration is not included as such. The book is well-printed and well-illustrated. Unfortunately no indexes are included. 23. MERISTEME Wachstum und Formbildung in den Teilungsgeweben hoherer Pflanzen 1966 by O. Schiiepp Birkhauser Verlag Experientia Supplementum 1 1 Basel - Stuttgart 253 pp., 159 figs. Price: S.Fr. 38.— This book will be mainly of interest to botanists, particularly experimental plant morphologists. However, it may have some appeal for those zoologists who are interested in the problems of "growth and form" per se, in the tradition of D'Arcy Thompson and others. The book presents a very thorough treatment of growth and its morpho- genetic aspects in all the known types of meristems in higher plants. The approach is almost exclusively descriptive, with much emphasis on the mathematical analysis of the cellular and tissular form changes, movements, and forces involved in morphogenesis. Many of the mathematical analyses are theoretical models, and some of them are highly complex. The book is profusely illustrated with drawings and diagrams, most of which are original. 24. EMBRYOGENIE COMPAReE ET BLASTOGeNIE CHEZ LES ORCHIDACEAE-MONANDRAE 1965 by Y. Veyret Office de la Recherche 114 pp., 609 figs., 14 pis., 12 tbs. Scientifique et Technique • (paper-bound) Outre-Mer Paris This monograph, which is sufficiently characterized by its title, is of ex- clusive interest to plant embryologists. iVwiil.1,!01 LMRARY WH IBbM k