Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Evolutionary patterns in ontogenetic transformation: from laws to regularities

P Alberch1, M J Blanco

  • 1Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.

The International Journal of Developmental Biology
|August 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Identification of extraocular extension in uveal melanoma by ophthalmological ultrasound.

Archivos de la Sociedad Espanola de Oftalmologia·2022
Same author

The preventable tragedy of diphtheria in the 21st century.

International journal of infectious diseases : IJID : official publication of the International Society for Infectious Diseases·2018
Same author

EVOLUTION AND BIFURCATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017
Same author

CAENOGENESIS, DEVELOPMENTAL VARIABILITY, AND EVOLUTION IN THE CARPUS AND TARSUS OF THE MARBLED NEWT TRITURUS MARMORATUS.

Evolution; international journal of organic evolution·2017
Same author

[Contents, positioning and quality analysis in Spanish websites related to nutrition and eating behavior disorders].

Nutricion hospitalaria·2015
Same author

The use of urea by Evernia prunastri thalli.

Planta·2013

Heterochrony, the study of evolutionary developmental changes, needs clearer definitions. Focusing on developmental event sequences, not just timing, offers a more precise framework for understanding evolutionary patterns in organisms like urodeles.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Classical heterochrony theories, influenced by de Beer and Gould, are being revised within modern genetics and evolutionary theory.
  • Current definitions of heterochrony are imprecise, conflating microevolutionary adaptation with macroevolutionary patterns.
  • This conceptual ambiguity leads to confusion and empirical misuse of heterochrony concepts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a revised conceptual framework for heterochrony, reducing reliance on
  • To shift focus from developmental timing to the organization of developmental event sequences in ontogeny.
  • To re-evaluate the relationship between ontogeny and phylogeny, particularly in urodeles, and address challenges in applying heterochrony to molecular and genetic levels.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Conceptual analysis of heterochrony definitions and their application in evolutionary and developmental biology.
  • Critique of reductionist approaches attempting to apply classical heterochrony to molecular genetics.
  • Proposal of an alternative framework emphasizing developmental event sequences.

Main Results:

  • Identified conceptual contradictions in current heterochrony definitions, leading to confusion.
  • Demonstrated the limitations of applying classical heterochrony concepts to molecular and genetic levels without strict assumptions.
  • Highlighted the need for a revised framework focusing on developmental organization over mere timing.

Conclusions:

  • A precise definition of heterochrony is crucial for advancing evolutionary developmental biology.
  • Focusing on the organization of developmental sequences offers a more robust framework than solely relying on timing.
  • Caution against overly broad interpretations of molecular heterochrony to avoid meaningless generalizations.