title: Dialectics, systems biology and embryonic induction.
abstract: A hallmark of embryonic development is the temporal-spatial continuum of cell-cell interactions, which gives rise to the trajectory of progressive cell differentiations. Despite the great reductionists' success in dissecting the mechanistic basis of developmental processes, the call for more holistic system theories never ceased during the last century. Various system theories were proposed to provide a more adequate understanding of biological systems, including development. Although widely ignored by modern biology, the first systematic system theory was Hegel's dialectics. Here I examine the process of embryonic induction as elaborated by Hans Spemann in the light of dialectics. I conclude that embryonic induction and its underlying molecular mechanisms can be re-interpreted in terms of Hegel's dialectics. The example highlights that despite its shortcomings, dialectics can be of heuristic value as a theory of systems biology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Embryology, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany. Niehrs@DKFZ-Heidelberg.DE
authors.forename: Christof
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niehrs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004627:Embryonic Induction; D006801:Humans; D020897:Organizers, Embryonic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D010684:Philosophy; D049490:Systems Biology; D013598:Systems Theory; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D051153:Wnt Proteins