Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo - Hardcover

Forgacs, Gabor; Newman, Stuart A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521783372 ISBN 13: 9780521783378

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2005

Synopsis

During development cells and tissues undergo changes in pattern and form that employ a wider range of physical mechanisms than at any other time in an organism's life. This book demonstrates how physics can be used to analyze these biological phenomena. Written to be accessible to both biologists and physicists, major stages and components of the biological development process are introduced and then analyzed from the viewpoint of physics. The presentation of physical models requires no mathematics beyond basic calculus.

About this title

Book Description

Written to be accessible to both biologists and physicists, this book shows how physics can be used to analyze the changes in pattern and form that cells and tissues undergo during development. Major stages and components of the biological development process are introduced and then analyzed from the viewpoint of physics. Concepts introduced include diffusion, viscosity and elasticity, adhesion, dynamical systems, electrical potential, percolation, fractals, reaction-diffusion systems, and cellular automata. With full-color figures throughout, this comprehensive textbook is suitable for graduate and upper-undergraduate courses in physics and biology.

Review

"There is no shortage of textbooks devoted to developmental biology, but it is remarkably rare to find any substantial treatment of physical considerations. In producing an excellent guide to the physics of developing embryos, Forgacs and Newman have therefore done the developmental biology community a great service."
Nick Monk, University of Sheffield

"Fittingly, Cambridge University Press, which published D'Arcy Thompson's book in 1917, has brought out a worthy successor to it in 2005. Indeed, one way to describe Biological Physics of the Developing Embryo is to say that it is an extension of D'Arcy Thompson's great work...Students with a background in physics, chemistry or mathematics, and an interest in biological problems, will benefit greatly from this book, which can serve as an excellent text for a course in developmental biology. Forgacs and Newman have assimilated much from a vast and diverse literature."
Current Science, Vidyanand Nanjundiah, Indian Institute of Science

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521783372
• ISBN 13: 9780521783378
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 346