In Search of Cell History The Evolution of Life's Building Blocks |
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Author:
| Harold, Franklin M. |
ISBN: | 978-0-226-17428-0 |
Publication Date: | Oct 2014 |
Publisher: | University of Chicago Press
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Book Format: | Paperback |
List Price: | USD $43.00 |
Book Description:
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Cell origin remains one of the most fundamental problems in biology, and over the last decade it has spawned a large body of literature and debate. Franklin Harold has synthesized this literature not to promote his own views of cell origin but to impartially present the current research on the topic along with the controversies that keep the field in turmoil. In accessible language that assumes only a basic knowledge of cell biology, he shows how far we’ve come in...
More DescriptionCell origin remains one of the most fundamental problems in biology, and over the last decade it has spawned a large body of literature and debate. Franklin Harold has synthesized this literature not to promote his own views of cell origin but to impartially present the current research on the topic along with the controversies that keep the field in turmoil. In accessible language that assumes only a basic knowledge of cell biology, he shows how far we’ve come in understanding cell evolution--and the origins of life in general--and how far we have to go before we can completely comprehend it. After introducing cell theory, Harold explores such wide-ranging topics as the construction of a universal tree of life; controversies over the Last Universal Common Ancestor’s exact nature and place in cell history; the evolution of cellular organization; and the origin and evolution of complex cells. The final chapters of the book explore the early origins of life and the evolutionary implications of cellular evolution.