Differential gene function: protein synthesis; 4. Differential 

 gene function: enzyme synthesis and degradation; 5. Regulation 

 of gene function; 6. Chromosomal differentiation; 7. Transla- 

 tlonal and eplgenetlc control mechanisms; 8. Nucleocytoplasmlc 

 interactions; 9. Genetic interactions in cell differentiation- 

 10. Genes and morphogenesis; 11. Aonormal development and can- 

 cer; 12 Omnls emoryo e DNA? 



This book was written for advanced undergraduate and oeginning 

 graduate students. Not surprisingly, It is quite different from 

 what a book of this kind would have oeen, say, a decade ago. The 

 central Issue is differential gene function, and relatively very 

 little space is devoted to more classical subjects such as plel- 

 otroplsm, phenocoples . metaplasia, and the genetics of patterns. 

 It is questionable whether it was wise to include these suDjects 

 at all If so little space was available for them. 



The main thesis receives a competent and modern treatment in 

 chapters 1-7, although the approach is of course highly selec- 

 tive. The reader will need a good basic knowledge of molecular 

 biology, because many technical terms are not explained in de- 

 tail. The style of writing is not always fluent and sometimes 

 confusing, and some Important basic concepts such as epigenesis, 

 determination, competence, and metaplasia are not or only inade- 

 quately defined. As noted above the discussion of the genetics 

 of patterns Is disappointingly brief; no mention is made of mu- 

 tations affecting pattern in the avian limb, and the concept of 

 prepattern in insects Is not discussed. On the other hand, in- 

 sect Imaglnal discs, tran'sdetermlnatlon, and homoeosls are ade- 

 quately treated. 



The book is Illustrated with good line drawings and photo- 

 graphs, but several figure legends are too short or cryptic, or 

 contain errors. Each chapter is concluded by a brief reading 

 list; a notable omission from these is Davidson's book "Gene ac- 

 tivity in early development". 



Monographs 



77. 



B.L.ASTAUROV. 1968. CYTOGENETICS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SILK 



WORM AND ITS EXPERIMENTAL CONTROL (in Russian) 



Izd.Nauka, Moscow. 102 pp., 39 figs. 



Research monograph; normal cytogenetic mechanism of gametoge- 

 nesls and fertilization, and its spontaneous or experimental al- 

 teration in the unfertilized egg; parthenogenesis, hybridization, 

 and polyploidy; cytogenetic modifications in maturing animals 

 and in the fertilized egg (several spp . of the genus Bombyx). 



SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTION (incl. gametogenesls and fer- 



tilization) (see also 9,22,27,64,77,85,86) 



Monographs 



78. 



J.E.JIRASEK. 1971. DEVELOPMENT OF THE GENITAL SYSTEM AND MALE 

 PSEUDOHERMAPHRODITISM . 



Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, etc. XIV, 136 pp., 103 figs., ^ 

 tabs,, subject index. $ 12.00, £ 5-70 



The author of this monograph is a pathologist who, being fa- 

 miliar with many cases of male pseudohermaphroditism, oecame in- 

 terested in their emoryologlcal basis. This resulted in an orig- 

 inal study of genital development in man, which occupies the 

 first 39 pages of the present book. It is only this part that 



43 



