University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Historical perspective / Robert H. Foote -- Activation of mammalian oocytes / Rafael A. Fissore, Jeremy Smyth, Manabu Kurokawa and Philippe Collas -- The nucleus / Fyodor D. Urnov and Alan P. Wolffe -- Nuclear reprogramming : biological and technological constraints / Kevin Eggan and Rudolf Jaenisch -- Plasticity of somatic nucleus by epigenetic reprogramming via cell hybridization / Takashi Tada, Masako Tada and M. Azim Surani -- Determinants of pluripotency in mammals / Michele Boiani and Hans R. Scholer -- Micromanipulation techniques for cloning / Raymond L. Page -- Microinsemination and nuclear transfer with male germ cells / Atsuo Ogura, Narumi Ogonuki and Kimiko Inoue -- Development of viable mammalian embryos in vitro : evolution of sequential media / David K. Gardner and Michelle Lane -- Genetic and phenotypic similarity among members of mammalian clonal sets / George E. Seidel, Jr. -- Genetic modification and cloning in mammals / Patrick W. Dunne and Jorge A. Piedrahita -- Pregnancy and neonatal care of cloned animals / Jonathan R. Hill and Pascale Chavatte-Palmer -- Donor cell type and cloning efficiency in mammals / Y. Tsunoda and Y. Kato -- Cloning of amphibians / J.B. Gurdon and J.A. Byrne -- Cloning of fish / Yuko Wakamatsu and Kenjiro Ozato -- Cloning of mice / Teruhiko Wakayama and Anthony C.F. Perry -- Cloning of rabbits / Andras Dinnyes, X. Cindy Tian and Xiangzhong Yang -- Nuclear transfer in swine / Randall S. Prather -- Cloning of cattle / Neal L. First, Zeki Beyhan and Jennifer D. Ambroggio -- Cell cycle regulation in cloning / Keith H.S. Campbell -- Cloning of rats / Philip Iannaccone, Michael Bader and Vasiliy Galat -- Cloning in nonhuman primates / Tanja Dominko, Calvin Simerly, Crista Martinovich and Gerald Schatten -- Nuclear transfer for stem cells / Alan Trounson -- Current research and commercial applications of cloning technology / Steven L. Stice -- Transgenic cloned goats and the production of therapeutic proteins / Esmail Behboodi, LiHow Chen, Margaret M. Destrempes, Harry M. Meade and Yann Echelard -- Ethical implications of cloning / Ronald M. Green -- Mammalian cloning : challenges for the future / R.L. Gardner.

"Epigenetic Principles of Evolution is a postgenetic treatment of the problem of metazoan evolution. It presents a radically novel epigenetic theory of evolution describing epigenetic mechanisms of evolutionary changes as they arise in the process of individual development. In seven chapters of Part 1 (Epigenetic Basis of Metazoan Heredity, pp. 21-216) the author introduces the reader to the epigenetic system of heredity - a function of the integrated control system. Cabej describes the dominant role of the epigenetic system of heredity in the processes of reproductive functions (chapter 3), in gametogenesis and in the process of the deposition of parental cytoplasmic factors (=epigenetic information) in gametes (chapter 4). In chapter 5 the author shows how the epigenetic information deposited in gametes in the form of maternal cytoplasmic factors determines the early embryonic development from the zygote stage to the phylotypic stage. A detailed description of the control of the postphylotypic stage of development, especially the formation of organs and organ systems, is presented in chapter 6 (p. 139-202). An outline of the main features of the epigenetic system of heredity and its relationship with the genetic system of heredity is provided in chapter 7 (203-216). Interactions between metazoan organisms and their environment, metazoan responses (especially behavioral responses) to changes in the environment and the ontogeny as a workshop of evolutionary change are dealt with in three chapters (8-10) of Part 2 (Neural-developmental premises of evolutionary adaptation, pp. 219-281). In Part 3 (chapters 11 and 12, pp. 285-339) the author deals with the mechanisms of developmental plasticity, the so-called circumevolutionary phenomena, and reveals the essential similarity between the transgenerational developmental plasticity and evolutionary change. In Part 4, Epigenetics of Metazoan Evolution (p. 341-623), the author deals in details with evolution of the control system (chapter 13, pp. 341-377), developmental mechanisms of evolutionary change in evolutionary modifications (chapter 14, pp. 379-501), evolution by loss/vestigialization of organs (chapter 15, pp. 501-541), evolution by reverting to ancestral structures (chapter 16, pp. 543-569). A special chapter is devoted to the role of the neural crest, a uniquely vertebrate structure of neural origin, in evolution of de novo metazoan structures. Evolutionary convergences and their evolutionary-epigenetic implications are discussed in chapter 18. Part 5 (p.645-732) is devoted to description of epigenetic mechanisms as determinants of species formation in sympatry. For all the cases of evolution of structures and species formation described in the book, the author presents both the conventional neoDarwinian explanation and the epigenetic explanation making it possible for the reader to assess the relative explanatory power of the genetic and epigenetic explanations. The book was published in 2008 by Albanet Publishing and contains 880 pages."--Amazon.