7. 



D. McMAHON and C. F. FOX, eds. 1975. DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY: Pattern for- 

 mation, gene regulation 



Benjamin, Menlo Park, etc. ICN-UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, 

 vol. 2. X, 604 pp., 207 figs., 56 tabs., subject index. $ 19,95 



This symposium was held in Squaw Valley, Cahf. in March 1975. Of the more than 

 100 contributors almost one quarter came from countries other than the U.S.A. Several 

 are established workers but there were also many younger scientists. The contributions 

 vary widely in scope, some being reviews of recent work and others shorter or longer 

 research reports. There is much in the volume that was very new at the time of writing. 

 No discussions are recorded. 



Almost all of the 19 contributions in the section on cell surface receptors, cell 

 adhesion and pattern formation will be of interest to our readers. The range of systems 

 covered is very broad, with cellular slime moulds and the vertebrate visual system slightly 

 predominating. Among the 20 contributions in the section on regulation of translation 

 and transcription at least half are of direct interest to developmental biologists. Here 

 amphibians, sUme moulds and insects are particularly well represented. Two papers finally 

 deal with abnormal human development. 



The book is produced direct from minimally edited typescripts. The photographic 

 illustrations are well reproduced. 



W. RATHMAYER, ed. 1975. VERHANDLUNGEN DER DEUTSCHEN ZOOLOGI- 



SCHEN GESELLSCHAFT; 67. Jahresversammlung 



Fischer, Stuttgart. XII, 420 pp., 272 figs., 26 tabs. DM 140.00 (paper) 



More than one third of this session report of the German Zoological Society is devoted 

 to embryology and developmental physiology, an area that has a strong tradition in 

 Germany. Most of the 33 papers in this section are brief summaries of recent original 

 research that has often been or will be extensively published elsewhere. There is no 

 special order to the papers. More than half of them are concerned with insect develop- 

 ment. All papers have English abstracts. The series is opened by an excellent 12-page 

 review on pattern formation in metazoans by Sander. 



The volume provides a useful cross-section of what is going on in Germany at present, 

 which is a great deal. The picture becomes more complete if one reads the successive 

 session reports, which are pubhshed each year. The volumes are printed on glossy paper 

 and have beautiful illustrations, but this makes them rather expensive to buy as an 

 "extra". 



Reference works 



9. 



T. A. DETTLAFF, ed. 1975. DEVELOPMENTAL-BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS (in Russian) 

 Publ. House Nauka, Moscow. Series: Problems in Developmental Biology. 579 pp., 

 132 figs., 27 tabs. 



Source book on the following developing systems: Amoeba, Chlamydoinonas, Hydra, 

 Tubifex, Lymnaea, Chironomus, Drosophila, Apis, Bombyx, Sea urchins, Acipenser 

 (2 spp.), Salmo, Misgiirmis, Triturus, Pleurodeles, Ambystoma, Xenopus, Rana, Gallus, 

 Laboratory mammals: extensive information on taxonomy, distribution, maintenance 

 and breeding, gametes and fertilisation, developmental stages, etc.; normal tables included 

 wherever available; numerous good photographs and excellent hne drawings from many 

 sources; much recent literature; subject and taxonomic indexes. 



180 



