Chance, Development, And Aging

In Chance, Development, And Aging, Two Leading Biological Gerontologists Review And Evaluate All Of The Available Data To Elucidate The Respective Roles Played By Genes, On The One Hand, And Chance Developmental Events, On The Other, In Determining The Course Of Aging In Individuals. The Book Draws On The Extensive Research In Developmental Biology On Random Variations In Cell Fate And Function, While Putting This Research In A New Context. The Discussion Sheds Light On A Range Of Questions, From Understanding Menopause To Explaining Why Identical Twins Are Not Truly Identical. The Book Will Be Invaluable For Gerontologists, Geneticists, Developmental And Reproductive Biologists, Physiologists, And A Broad Range Of Physicians And Investigators In Experimental Medicine.--book Jacket. Chance And Its Outcomes In Aging -- Main Issues -- Life Span Variations -- Variation In Reproductive Aging -- Variable Numbers Of Irreplaceable Cells -- Ovarian Oocytes -- Neuron Numbers -- Variations Of Neuron Structures In Genetically Identical Individuals -- Neuron Numbers And The Threshold For Dysfunctions -- Variations Within An Individual -- The Lateral Line System -- Asymmetry Of Brain Regions -- Asymmetry And Its Fluctuations -- Variations In Molecular Controls -- Pattern Formation And The Suppression Of Errors -- Control Of Gene Expression -- Limits To Genomic Specification -- Programmed Versus Stochastic Aging -- Errors In Gene Expression -- Genes, Evolution, And Aging -- Synopsis Of The Argument -- Chance And Reproductive Aging -- The Mammalian Ovary -- Oocyte Numbers Determine Menopause -- Development And Ovarian Oocyte Variations -- Maternal Age Factors In Birth Defects -- Health Risks Associated With Menopause -- Fetal Steroid Variations And Reproductive System Development -- Brain -- Prostate And Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia -- Prezygotic Phenomena -- Chance, Cell Fate, And Clonality -- Stochastic Aspects Of Cell Fate -- Asymmetric Cell Division -- Cell Migration -- Cell Death -- Stochastic Aspects Of Cell Clones -- Dispersion Of Neurons During Cortical Development -- A Repeated Neuron Structure: The Lateral Line System Of Frogs -- Chance And Clonality In Intestinal Crypts -- Hematopoiesis -- Colony Size Variation In Cell Cultures -- Somatic Genome Instability. Caleb E. Finch & Thomas B.l. Kirkwood. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 213-258) And Index.