To give you the bottom line first: this book is a masterpiece written by numerous masters who are able to `speak different languages' and who bridge disciplines from developmental biology, normal and abnormal morphogenesis, and molecular biology, to clinical genetics and dysmorphology. Understanding developmental biology is a crucial requirement for those working in clinical genetics; and the two fields are now coming together through advances in the Human Genome Project and in elucidating the genetic basis of various genetic disorders. I myself feel privileged both to work with families who have a child with a severe birth defect and at the same time to direct a laboratory whose research focuses on identifying the underlying basis of normal and abnormal embryonic development in humans.

Our knowledge of developmental pathways is still in its infancy compared with what is known about biochemical pathways. The editors have accomplished a monumental task by putting...

You do not currently have access to this content.