Synopses & Reviews
The understanding of the reproductive physiology of insects is of fundamental importance in many modern methods of pest management. For the first time in a single volume, recent findings concerning the structure and function of insect ovaries during previtellogenic growth are comprehensively summarized. Features of this unique book include a detailed comparison of ovarian structures from all insect orders; a phylogenetic model of the diversification of insect ovaries; a discussion of new aspects of the genetic background to insect gonad development. The Insect Ovary has been written for advanced students and professional scientists involved in the study of insect developmental biology, ultrastructure and phylogeny or with an interest in pest management.
Review
` ...this book is a comprehensive guide to our current knowledge of insect ovaries, presenting not only a detailed review of ovarian function and development, but also a critical analysis of theories regarding the evolutionary relationship of various ovary types ... The Insect Ovary is a welcome addition to the literature.' Invertebrate Reproduction and Development
Synopsis
This book will give an overview of insect ovaries, showing the diversities and the common traits in egg growth processes. The idea to write this book developed while looking at the flood of information which appeared in the early 1980s on early pattern formation in Drosophila embryos. At this time a significant breakthrough was made in studies of this little fly, combining molecular biological methods with classical and molecular genetics. The answers to questions about early pattern formation raised new questions about the architecture of ovaries and the growth of eggs within these ovaries. However, by concentrating only on Drosophila it is not possible to form an adequate picture of what is going on in insect ovaries, since the enormous diversity found among insects is not considered sufficiently. Almost forgotten, but the first to study the architecture of ovaries, was Alexander Brandt writing in 1878 in aber das Ei und seine Bildungsstaette (On the egg and its organ of development). More than 100 years later, a series of ten books or more would be required to survey all the serious informa- tion we have today on insect oogenesis. Thus, this book is a personal selection and personal view on the theme, and the authors must be excused by all those scientists whose papers could not be included. The book briefly describes the ectodemes, i. e.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [325]-375) and indexes.
Table of Contents
Preface. 1: Introduction. 1.1. Why we are interested in insect reproduction. 1.2. A short historical review. 2: The ovary of Entognatha (by S. Bilinski). 2.1. Introduction. 2.2. Gross architecture and accessory structures. 2.3. Somatic cells. 2.4. Germ cells. 2.5. Evolution of entognathan ovaries. 3: The ovary of Ectognatha, the Insecta s. str. 3.1. Ovarian accessory organs of ectodermal origin. 3.2. Mesodermal tissues of the ovary. 3.3. Germ cells. 3.4. Transport from nurse cells to oocytes. 3.5. Cluster formation of germ cells and architecture of ovariole types. 3.6. Phylogeny of insect ovarioles. References. Species index. Subject index.