Building Brains

Provides a highly visual, readily accessible introduction to the main events that occur during neural development and their mechanisms

Building Brains: An Introduction to Neural Development, 2nd Edition describes how brains construct themselves, from simple beginnings in the early embryo to become the most complex living structures on the planet. It explains how cells first become neural, how their proliferation is controlled, what regulates the types of neural cells they become, how neurons connect to each other, how these connections are later refined under the influence of neural activity, and why some neurons normally die. This student-friendly guide stresses and justifies the generally-held belief that a greater knowledge of how nervous systems construct themselves will help us find new ways of treating diseases of the nervous system that are thought to originate from faulty development, such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

• A concise, illustrated guide focusing on core elements and emphasizing common principles of developmental mechanisms, supplemented by suggestions for further reading

• Text boxes provide detail on major advances, issues of particular uncertainty or controversy, and examples of human diseases that result from abnormal development

• Introduces the methods for studying neural development, allowing the reader to understand the main evidence underlying research advances

• Offers a balanced mammalian/non-mammalian perspective (and emphasizes mechanisms that are conserved across species), drawing on examples from model organisms like the fruit fly, nematode worm, frog, zebrafish, chick, mouse and human

• Associated Website includes all the figures from the textbook and explanatory movies

Filled with full-colorartwork that reinforces important concepts; an extensive glossary and definitions that help readers from different backgrounds; and chapter summaries that stress important points and aid revision, Building Brains: An Introduction to Neural Development, 2nd Edition is perfect for undergraduate students and postgraduates who may not have a background in neuroscience and/or molecular genetics.

"This elegant book ranges with ease and authority over the vast field of developmental neuroscience. This excellent textbook should be on the shelf of every neuroscientist, as well as on the reading list of every neuroscience student."
--Sir Colin Blakemore, Oxford University

"With an extensive use of clear and colorful illustrations, this book makes accessible to undergraduates the beauty and complexity of neural development. The book fills a void in undergraduate neuroscience curricula."
--Professor Mark Bear, Picower Institute, MIT.

Highly Commended, British Medical Association Medical Book Awards 2012

Published with the New York Academy of Sciences

Autorentext

DAVID J. PRICE, ANDREW P. JARMAN, JOHN O. MASON, PETER C. KIND, Centre for Integrative Physiology, University of Edinburgh, UK.

Klappentext
Praise for the First Edition
"This elegant book ranges with ease and authority over the vast field of developmental neuroscience. This excellent textbook should be on the shelf of every neuroscientist, as well as on the reading list of every neuroscience student." Sir Colin Blakemore, Oxford University "With an extensive use of clear and colorful illustrations, this book makes accessible to undergraduates the beauty and complexity of neural development. The book fills a void in undergraduate neuroscience curricula." Professor Mark Bear, Picower Institute, MIT. Highly Commended, British Medical Association Medical Book Awards 2012 Provides a highly visual, readily accessible introduction to the main events that occur during neural development and their mechanisms Building Brains: An Introduction to Neural Development, Second Edition describes how brains construct themselves, from simple beginnings in the early embryo to become the most complex living structures on the planet. It explains how cells first become neural, how their proliferation is controlled, what regulates the types of neural cells they become, how neurons connect to each other, how these connections are later refined under the influence of neural activity, and why some neurons normally die. This student-friendly guide stresses and justifies the generally-held belief that a greater knowledge of how nervous systems construct themselves will help us find new ways of treating diseases of the nervous system that are thought to originate from faulty development, such as autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

• A concise, illustrated guide focusing on core elements and emphasizing common principles of developmental mechanisms, supplemented by suggestions for further reading
• Text boxes provide detail on major advances, issues of particular uncertainty or controversy, and examples of human diseases that result from abnormal development
• Introduces the methods for studying neural development, allowing the reader to understand the main evidence underlying research advances
• Offers a balanced mammalian/non-mammalian perspective (and emphasizes mechanisms that are conserved across species), drawing on examples from model organisms like the fruit fly, nematode worm, frog, zebrafish, chick, mouse and human
• Associated Website includes all the figures from the textbook and explanatory videos
  Filled with full-color artwork that reinforces important concepts; an extensive glossary and definitions that help readers from different backgrounds; and chapter summaries that stress important points and aid revision, Building Brains: An Introduction to Neural Development, Second Edition is perfect for undergraduate students and postgraduates who may not have a background in neuroscience and/or molecular genetics. Published with the New York Academy of Sciences

Inhalt
Preface to Second Edition xi

Preface to First Edition xiii

Conventions and Commonly used Abbreviations xv

Introduction xix

About the Companion Website xxiii

1 Models and Methods for Studying Neural Development 1

1.1 What is neural development? 1

1.2 Why research neural development? 2

The uncertainty of current understanding 2

Implications for human health 3

Implications for future technologies 4

1.3 Major breakthroughs that have contributed to understanding developmental mechanisms 4

1.4 Invertebrate model organisms 5

Fly 5

Worm 7

Other invertebrates 11

1.5 Vertebrate model organisms 11

Frog 11

Chick 12

Zebrafish 12

Mouse 12

Humans 19

Other vertebrates 20

1.6 Observation and experiment: methods for studying neural development 23

1.7 Summary 24

2 The Anatomy of Developing Nervous Systems 25

2.1 The nervous system develops from the embryonic neuroectoderm 25

2.2 Anatomical terms used to describe locations in embryos 26

2.3 Development of the neuroectoderm of invertebrates 27

C. elegans 27

Drosophila 27

2.4 Development of the neuroectoderm of vertebrates and the process of neurulation 30

Frog 31

Chick 33

Zebrafish 35

Mouse 36

Human 43

2.5 Secondary neurulation in vertebrates 47

2.6 Formation of invertebrate and vertebrate peripheral nervous systems 47

Invertebrates 49

Vertebrates: the neural crest and the placodes 49

Vertebrates: development of sense organs 50

2.7 Summary 52

3 Neural Induction: An Example of How Intercellular Signalling Determines Cell Fates 53

3.1 What is neural induction? 53

3.2 Specification and commitment 54

3.3 The discovery of neural induction 54

3.4 A more recent breakthrough: identifying molecules that mediate neural induction 56

3.5 Conservation of neural induction mechanisms in Drosophila 58

3.6 Beyond the default model other signalling pathwa…