The new biology : the cell : evolution of the first organism / Joseph Panno.

Contents: 1. The Origin of life - 2. Prokaryotes: laying the foundaitons - 3. Eukaryotes: dawn of a new era - 4. The Cell cycle - 5. Genes - 6. From cells to bodies - 7. Neurons: pushing back the night - 8. Resource center

A thorough examination of the building block of organic matter about which scientists' increasing insight has spawned new fields, new technologies, and new ethical dilemmas. Traces of the cell from its first appearance in the "Primordial soup" of the oceans of ancient Earth 3 million years ago, through the emergence of simple bacteria, to the rise of multicellular organisms that eventually became the plants and animals that we recognize today is presented in this book. It also provides incisive information about the structure and function of the cell, with special emphasis on the cell division and cell-to-cell communication essential to the development of multicelled creatures. Discussion of the cell cycle, genes and genetic mechanisms, and the transition from single cells to multicellular organisms round out the exploration of the cell. The book concludes with a chapter on newurons and a resource center providing information on recombinant DNA technology.