Animal Applications of Research in Mammalian Development (Current Communications in Cell and Molecular Biology)

Recent progress in cell and molecular biology has profound implications for understanding the developmental biology of mammalian embryos. The unifying theme of this volume is a cellular and molecular approach to gametogenesis, embryogenesis, and maternal-fetal interactions in the developmental biology of agriculturally significant mammals. Great progress has been achieved in our understanding of preimplantation mammalian embryogenesis in laboratory species, particularly the mouse, through application of cell and embryo culture methods, cell biological techniques, and, more recently, recombinant DNA technology. A major remaining opportunity is the application of these techniques to problems in domestic species, such as improved methods for in vitro growth and maturation of oocytes, egg and embryo cryopreservation, and genetic manipulation to enhance productivity and herd quality. The authors review current knowledge in key areas, emphasizing new approaches to unsolved problems in the developmental biology of domestic species.