We recently described lack of phenotypic plasticity in reproductive organ development and substantial plasticity in vegetative organ development for the cycad Cycas micronesica. Is there an evo-devo explanation for the disparity in phenotypic plasticity of vegetative vs. reproductive organs? Despite modularity, might evolution of cycad phenology be controlled more by drift than selection?

In summary, we described the use of laser scissors and tweezers from three perspectives: (a) the historical background from which these two techniques evolved, (b) an understanding and lack of understanding of the mechanisms of interaction with the biological systems, and (c) the applications of the scissors and tweezers alone and in combination. As the technology improves and we gain a better ...

Models have been particularly useful in developmental biology over the last 30 years. At first, underlying control mechanisms were poorly understood, but over time a wealth of detailed information became available to provide an increasingly detailed knowledge of underlying mechanisms, at levels from genes through cells to organs, organisms and populations. Models are also of great value in teac...

The term "micro-evo-devo" refers to the combined study of the genetic and developmental bases of natural variation in populations and the evolutionary forces that have shaped this variation. It thus represents a synthesis of the fields of evolutionary developmental biology and population genetics. As has been pointed out by several others, this synthesis can provide insights into the evolution ...

Darwin's claim 'that the difference in mind between man and the higher animals … is certainly one of degree and not of kind' is at the core of the comparative study of cognition. Recent research provides unprecedented support for Darwin's claim as well as new reasons to question it, stimulating new theories of human cognitive uniqueness. This article compares and evaluates approaches to such th...

The ability to synthesize biological constructs on the scale of the organisms we observe unaided is probably one of the more outlandish, yet recurring, dreams humans have had since they began to modify genes. This review brings together recent developments in synthetic biology, cell and developmental biology, computation, and technological development to provide context and direction for the en...

The construct of homology in the development of behavior is examined using human handedness. Research on the development of hand-use preferences in infants provides some evidence that it may be homologous with adult handedness. Nevertheless, I propose that the construct of homology may not be relevant to the study of human behavioral development. However, other constructs from developmental bio...

As much as vertical transmission of microbial symbionts requires their deep integration into the host reproductive and developmental biology, symbiotic lifestyle might profoundly affect bacterial growth and proliferation. This review describes the reproductive oddities displayed by bacteria associated - more or less intimately - with multicellular eukaryotes.

Cellular plasticity is a major focus of investigation in developmental biology. The recent discovery that induced neuronal (iN) cells can be generated from mouse and human fibroblasts by expression of defined transcription factors suggested that cell fate plasticity is much wider than previously anticipated. In this review, we summarize the most recent developments in this nascent field and sug...

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) has been widely utilised for the study of developmental biology, which has lead to the evolution of sophisticated cellular and molecular approaches. More recently, the rapid progress of various zebrafish genomic infrastructure initiatives is facilitating the development of zebrafish models of human disease. This review aims to describe several representative examples...