Germ cells occupy a unique position in animal reproduction, development, and evolution. In
sexually reproducing animals, only they can produce gametes and contribute genetically to …

The spiders Cupiennius salei and Achaearanea tepidariorum are firmly established laboratory
models that have already contributed greatly to answering evolutionary developmental …

Background The duplication of genes can occur through various mechanisms and is thought
to make a major contribution to the evolutionary diversification of organisms. There is …

Background The Wnt genes encode secreted glycoprotein ligands that regulate a wide
range of developmental processes, including axis elongation and segmentation. There are …

A number of recent studies have investigated posterior development in several different
arthropods. As previously found in spiders, it has been discovered that Delta-Notch signaling is …

The Wnt genes encode secreted glycoprotein ligands that regulate many developmental
processes from axis formation to tissue regeneration [1]. In bilaterians, there are at least 12 …

Evolution often results in morphologically similar solutions in different organisms, a phenomenon
known as convergence. However, there is little knowledge of the processes that lead to …

Darwin’s bark spider (Caerostris darwini) produces giant orb webs from dragline silk that
can be twice as tough as other silks, making it the toughest biological material. This extreme …

Parasteatoda tepidariorum is an increasingly popular model for the study of spider
development and the evolution of development more broadly. However, fully understanding the …

Background Hox genes are expressed in specific domains along the anterior posterior body
axis and define the regional identity. In most animals these genes are organized in a single …