title: Vienna-Chicago: the cultural transformation of the model system of the un-opposed molar.
abstract: The discussion over the roles of genes and environment on the phenotypical specification of organisms has held a central role in science philosophy since the late 19(th) century and has re-emerged in today's debate over genetic determinism and developmental plasticity. In fin-de-siecle Vienna, this debate coincided with a philosophical debate over empiricism/materialism versus idealism/vitalism. Turn-of-the-century Vienna's highly interdisciplinary environment was also the birthplace for the model system of the un-opposed molar. The un-opposed molar system features new tissue formation at the roots of teeth and tooth drift once opposing teeth are lost. The un-opposed molar model system was revived by a group of Viennese scientists who left Vienna during the Nazi period to address Vienna's questions about evolution and heredity and about genes and environment in Chicago's post-WWII scientific exile community. Here we are using the colorful history of the un-opposed molar to investigate the role of culture and method in the scientific evolution of a model system.
authors.affiliation: Oral Biology, UIC College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, 801 South Paulina, Chicago, IL 60565, USA.
authors.forename: Xianghong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Thomas G H
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Diekwisch
mesh_terms: D000220:Adaptation, Biological / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D016723:Bone Remodeling / Q000502:physiology; D002641:Chicago; D003468:Cultural Evolution; D003766:Dental Occlusion; D019348:Empiricism; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008954:Models, Biological; D008963:Molar / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D010686:Philosophy, Medical / Q000266:history*; D014078:Tooth Eruption / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology