To paraphrase Wolpert, your birth, marriage and death are less important milestones than your gastrulation. In gastrulation, the embryo forms germ layers and establishes the body plan of the mature organism. Stern (University College London) edits 54 articles on gastrulation and its relation to embryology, cellular events, molecular biology, and evolution. Embryology topics include gastrulation in lower animals, insects, amphibians, reptiles, chicks, mice, rabbits, and mammals and humans. Cellular event topics include breaking radial symmetry, rostrocaudel patterning, neural induction, endoderm development, and extraembryonic tissues. Topics in molecular biology include signaling pathways, transcription factors, and extracellular components. Topics on evolution include comparative aspects of gastrulation, cellular and molecular aspects, and an examination of fossil embryos. The volume closes with an article on open questions in the field by Wolpert. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)