Intestinal Development

Abstract

The work of D'Arcy Thompson is a classic example of the insight into morphogenesis that may be gained by a thoughtful consideration of adult form. Even greater insight into the factors underlying morphogenesis might accrue from a detailed study, not only of the adult stage, but also of the intermediate period of development. An attack at this level would, at the very least, yield an account of events whose ordering in time would suggest certain causal sequences and exclude others. Many organs reveal strikingly simple changes in geometric form during development. These structures provide an opportunity to investigate the role of various factors in the genesis of adult form. We have selected one such organ, the duodenum of the chick embryo, for a series of investigations into the role of mechanical factors in intestinal morphogenesis.