Interest in Embryos

Most people have some interest in embryos; this probably results, in part, from their interest in understanding the biological origins of themselves and their offspring and, increasingly, concerns about how environmental change such as pollution might affect human development.

Experimental Studies and Model Species

Obviously, ethical considerations preclude experimental studies of human embryos and, consequently, the developmental biologist has turned to other species to examine this process. Fortunately, the most significant conclusion to be drawn from the experimental embryology of the last two decades is the manner in which orthologous or closely related molecules are deployed to mediate similar developmental processes in both vertebrates and invertebrates.

Conservation of Molecular Mechanisms

The molecular mechanisms regulating processes fundamental to most animals, such as axial patterning or axon guidance, are frequently conserved during evolution. It is now widely believed that the differences between phyla and classes are the result of new genes, arising mostly by duplication and divergence of extant sequences, regulating the appearance of derived characters.

Vertebrate Development

Other vertebrates are obviously most likely to use the same developmental mechanisms as humans and, within the vertebrate subphylum, the parent degree of conservation of developmental mechanism is considerable.

Model Organisms

It has long been recognized that particular vertebrate species offer either distinct advantages in investigating particular stages of development or are especially amenable to particular manipulations. No single animal can provide all the answers because not all types of experiments can be carried out on a single species.