title: Vertebrate innovations.
abstract: Vertebrate innovations include neural crest cells and their derivatives, neurogenic placodes, an elaborate segmented brain, endoskeleton, and an increase in the number of genes in the genome. Comparative molecular and developmental data give new insights into the evolutionary origins of these characteristics and the complexity of the vertebrate body.
authors.affiliation: School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AJ, United Kingdom. s.m.shimeld@reading.ac.uk
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shimeld
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Holland
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002816:Chordata, Nonvertebrate / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005399:Fishes / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005580:Fossils; D020440:Gene Duplication; D005810:Multigene Family; D010802:Phylogeny; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics