Heterochrony and developmental timing mechanisms: changing ontogenies in evolution.
Heterochrony, or a change in developmental timing, is an important mechanism of evolutionary change. Historically the concept of heterochrony has focused alternatively on changes in size and shape or changes in developmental sequence, but most have focused on the pattern of change. Few studies have examined changes in the mechanisms that embryos use to actually measure time during development. Recently, evolutionary studies focused on changes in distinct timekeeping mechanisms have appeared, and this review examines two such case studies: the evolution of increased segment number in snakes and the extreme rostral to caudal gradient of developmental maturation in marsupials. In both examples, heterochronic modifications of the somite clock have been important drivers of evolutionary change.
Duke Scholars
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- Somites
- Morphogenesis
- Humans
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Developmental Biology
- Biological Evolution
- Animals
- 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
- 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
- 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
Citation
Published In
DOI
EISSN
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Start / End Page
Related Subject Headings
- Somites
- Morphogenesis
- Humans
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
- Developmental Biology
- Biological Evolution
- Animals
- 3101 Biochemistry and cell biology
- 1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine
- 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology