Major Problems in Developmental Biology contains the proceedings of the 25th Symposium of the Society for Developmental Biology, held in Haverford, Pennsylvania, in June 1966. The papers explore some of the major problems in developmental biology, particularly those relating to cell differentiation, movements, and death; patterning; and intercellular regulation in plants. Organized into 11 chapters, this book begins with an overview of the growth and development of developmental biology as a scientific discipline, with emphasis on the role of the Society for Developmental Biology, and in particular its symposia, in the emergence of the field. The book then discusses the intra- and extracellular factors impinging upon the nucleus and regulating cell differentiation. Some chapters focus on the dynamics of determination in cell systems of insects, morphogenetic movements of animal cells, and patterns at the cell and tissue levels. The reader is also introduced to the correlations between protein structure and function in relation to cell dynamics and differentiation, along with the physiological, biochemical, and molecular biological aspects of intercellular regulation in plants and the role of cell surface in carcinogenesis. The book concludes by suggesting directions for research into the ontogeny of behavior. This book is a valuable source of information for developmental biologists.
