title: Introducing the Spemann-Mangold organizer: experiments and insights that generated a key concept in developmental biology.
abstract: The "organizer paper", published by Hans Spemann and Hilde Mangold in 1924, initiated a new epoch in developmental biology. Also it marked the climax of Spemann's life-long research which began at the end of the nineteenth century. This introduction retraces some of the steps by which Spemann arrived at the organizer concept: The problem of amphibian lens induction including the so-called lens controversy, the early constriction experiments creating double headed malformations, and the homeo- and heteroplastic transplantations during gastrula stages of the newt. Furthermore this paper will--based on historical documents--repudiate some objections raised to the contribution of Spemann and Hilde Mangold to the discovery and interpretation of the organizer effect.
authors: Institut für Biologie I (Zoologie), Freiburg, Germany. sanderk@uni-freiburg.de
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Sander
authors: P E
authors: PE
authors: Faessler
mesh_terms: D000663:Amphibians / Q000196:embryology; D000818:Animals; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000266:history*; D004626:Embryology / Q000266:history; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D005858:Germany; D049673:History, 20th Century; D020897:Organizers, Embryonic