Generation and Interpretation of Morphogen Gradients

In this essential reference aimed at biologists and cell biologists, Briscoe (MRC National Institute for Medical Research) et al. compile 19 chapters that explore how morphogen gradients are generated and interpreted during embryonic development, addressing which mechanisms ensure the formation of stable and reliable morphogen concentration, how cells within a field assess their position by reading the local concentration, and how graded responses of cells are transformed into differential gene expression to control the fate and behavior of cells. Researchers working in biochemistry, biology, physics, and molecular genetics around the world consider the regulation of morphogen synthesis, trafficking, and diffusion; the complex webs of signaling mechanisms and transcriptional responses in recipient cells; and the roles of morphogen gradients in various tissues in organisms from yeast to humans. They include quantitative analyses of the formation and interpretation of gradients. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)