The enormous diversity of extant animal forms is a testament to the power of evolution, and much of this diversity has been achieved through the emergence of novel morphological traits. The origin of novel morphological traits is an extremely important issue in biology, and a frequent source of this novelty is co-option of pre-existing genetic systems for new purposes (Carroll et al., 2008). Appendages, such as limbs, fins and antennae, are structures common to many animal body plans which must have arisen at least once, and probably multiple times, in lineages which lacked appendages. We provide evidence that appendage proximodistal patterning genes are expressed in similar registers in the anterior embryonic neurectoderm of Drosophila melanogaster and Saccoglossus kowalevskii (a hemichordate). These results, in concert with existing expression data from a variety of other animals suggest that a pre-existing genetic system for anteroposterior head patterning was co-opted for patterning of the proximodistal axis of appendages of bilaterian animals.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2909331 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.04.022 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Estimating whole-body centre of mass sway during quiet standing with inertial measurement units.
PLoS One
January 2025
School of Kinesiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Our ability to balance upright provides a stable platform to perform daily activities. Balance deficits associated with various clinical conditions may affect activities of daily living, highlighting the importance of quantifying standing balance in ecological environments. Although typically performed in laboratory settings, the growing availability of low-cost inertial measurement units (IMUs) allows the assessment of balance in the real world.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTending to the Facial Surfaces of a Mathematical Biology Head-Scratcher: Why Does the Head of the Sea Turtle Resemble a Convex Zygomorphic Dodecahedron?
Animals (Basel)
January 2025
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USA.
Two convex polyhedra that markedly resemble the head of the flatback sea turtle hatchling are identified. The first example is a zygomorphic tetragonal dodecahedron, while the other, an even better matching structure, is a related tetradecahedron, herein speculated to arise from this particular dodecahedron via known mechanisms gleaned from studies of the behavior of foams. A segmented, biomorphic, convex polyhedral model to address cephalic topology is thus presented stemming from solid geometry, anatomical observations, and a recently computed densest local packing arrangement of fifteen slightly oblate spheroids in which fourteen oblate spheroids surround a central such spheroid.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCharacterizing the vestibular control of balance in the intrinsic foot muscles.
Gait Posture
December 2024
School of Health and Exercise Sciences, The University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Electronic address:
Background: To maintain standing balance, vestibular cues are processed and integrated with other sensorimotor signals to produce appropriate motor adjustments. Whole-body vestibular-driven postural responses are context-dependent and transformed based upon head and foot posture. Previous reports indicate the importance of intrinsic foot muscles during standing, but it is unclear how vestibular-driven responses of these muscles are modulated by alterations in stability and head posture.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFacial features of cartoon characters and their perceived attributes.
Sci Rep
January 2025
University Dental Hospital, Wales, UK.
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between skeletal antero-posterior profile of popular family cartoon characters and their perceived personal characteristics. The Internet Movie DataBase (IMDB) was used to identify popular animated family movies released since 2000. Cartoon characters were identified, and classified based on their gender (male/female), skeletal profile (Class I, II or III) and character assessment (protagonist/antagonist).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBilateral alterations in sensorimotor function and altered sensory strategy in individuals with unilateral chronic ankle instability.
J Exerc Sci Fit
January 2025
Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to assess the sensorimotor function in patients with unilateral chronic ankle instability (CAI) and compare their abilities to healthy controls, focusing on sensory reweighting and vestibular modulation.
- Twenty individuals with unilateral CAI and twenty healthy participants underwent various tests to evaluate ankle proprioception, plantar sensation, balance, and motor control, using a mix of analyses to compare the groups.
- Results indicated that those with CAI had increased sensory thresholds for light touch and two-point discrimination bilaterally, moderate deficits in certain motor control measures, and showed postural instability in balance tests when compared to healthy controls.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!