An authoritative panel of basic and clinical researchers critically reviews the latest findings on the role of folate in human development, health, and disease. Specific areas addressed include folate metabolism in zinc or copper deficiencies, choline and folate in development, animal models of folate-related birth defects, developmental toxicants potentially acting via folate perturbation, and folate's role in vascular disease in women. There are also cutting-edge discussions of genes and neural tube development, folate receptor polymorphism and the risk for neural defects, abnormal DNA synthesis and methylation with folate/methyl insufficiency, and folic acid and homocysteine as risk factors for neural tube defects.

A cutting-edge review of the biochemical, physiological, pharmacological, genetic, and molecular interactions involved in the development and homeostasis of the skeleton. Topics range from chondrogenesis, chondrocytes, and cartilage to skeletal dysmorphology, and include the control of skeletal development, osteoblastic cell differentiation, and bone induction, growth, remodeling, and mineralization. The authors' understanding of bone physiology-and how it is modified throughout all the stages of life-offers novel approaches for improving the endurance of load-bearing implants, achieving life-long optimal bone strength, overcoming microgravity situations (space flight), and hastening the healing of fractures, osteotomies, and antrodeses.

A cutting-edge review of the biochemical, physiological, pharmacological, genetic, and molecular interactions involved in the development and homeostasis of the skeleton. Topics range from chondrogenesis, chondrocytes, and cartilage to skeletal dysmorphology, and include the control of skeletal development, osteoblastic cell differentiation, and bone induction, growth, remodeling, and mineralization. The authors'' understanding of bone physiology-and how it is modified throughout all the stages of life-offers novel approaches for improving the endurance of load-bearing implants, achieving life-long optimal bone strength, overcoming microgravity situations (space flight), and hastening the healing of fractures, osteotomies, and antrodeses.

An authoritative panel of basic and clinical researchers critically reviews the latest findings on the role of folate in human development, health, and disease. Specific areas addressed include folate metabolism in zinc or copper deficiencies, choline and folate in development, animal models of folate-related birth defects, developmental toxicants potentially acting via folate perturbation, and folate's role in vascular disease in women. There are also cutting-edge discussions of genes and neural tube development, folate receptor polymorphism and the risk for neural defects, abnormal DNA synthesis and methylation with folate/methyl insufficiency, and folic acid and homocysteine as risk factors for neural tube defects.

An authoritative panel of basic and clinical researchers critically reviews the latest findings on the role of folate in human development, health, and disease. Specific areas addressed include folate metabolism in zinc or copper deficiencies, choline and folate in development, animal models of folate-related birth defects, developmental toxicants potentially acting via folate perturbation, and folate's role in vascular disease in women. There are also cutting-edge discussions of genes and neural tube development, folate receptor polymorphism and the risk for neural defects, abnormal DNA synthesis and methylation with folate/methyl insufficiency, and folic acid and homocysteine as risk factors for neural tube defects.

A cutting-edge review of the biochemical, physiological, pharmacological, genetic, and molecular interactions involved in the development and homeostasis of the skeleton. Topics range from chondrogenesis, chondrocytes, and cartilage to skeletal dysmorphology, and include the control of skeletal development, osteoblastic cell differentiation, and bone induction, growth, remodeling, and mineralization. The authors' understanding of bone physiology-and how it is modified throughout all the stages of life-offers novel approaches for improving the endurance of load-bearing implants, achieving life-long optimal bone strength, overcoming microgravity situations (space flight), and hastening the healing of fractures, osteotomies, and antrodeses.

A cutting-edge review of the biochemical, physiological, pharmacological, genetic, and molecular interactions involved in the development and homeostasis of the skeleton. Topics range from chondrogenesis, chondrocytes, and cartilage to skeletal dysmorphology, and include the control of skeletal development, osteoblastic cell differentiation, and bone induction, growth, remodeling, and mineralization. The authors'' understanding of bone physiology-and how it is modified throughout all the stages of life-offers novel approaches for improving the endurance of load-bearing implants, achieving life-long optimal bone strength, overcoming microgravity situations (space flight), and hastening the healing of fractures, osteotomies, and antrodeses.

An authoritative panel of basic and clinical researchers critically reviews the latest findings on the role of folate in human development, health, and disease. Specific areas addressed include folate metabolism in zinc or copper deficiencies, choline and folate in development, animal models of folate-related birth defects, developmental toxicants potentially acting via folate perturbation, and folate's role in vascular disease in women. There are also cutting-edge discussions of genes and neural tube development, folate receptor polymorphism and the risk for neural defects, abnormal DNA synthesis and methylation with folate/methyl insufficiency, and folic acid and homocysteine as risk factors for neural tube defects.