Article ID: CBB001220998

Between Biochemists and Embryologists---The Biochemical Study of Embryonic Induction in the 1930s (2012)

unapi

The discovery by Hans Spemann of the organizer tissue and its ability to induce the formation of the amphibian embryo's neural tube inspired leading embryologists to attempt to elucidate embryonic inductions' underlying mechanism. Joseph Needham, who during the 1930s conducted research in biochemical embryology, proposed that embryonic induction is mediated by a specific chemical entity embedded in the inducing tissue, surmising that chemical to be a hormone of sterol-like structure. Along with embryologist Conrad H. Waddington, they conducted research aimed at the isolation and functional characterization of the underlying agent. As historians clearly pointed out, embryologists came to question Needham's biochemical approach; he failed to locate the hormone he sought and eventually abandoned his quest. Yet, this study finds that the difficulties he ran into resulted primarily from the limited conditions for conducting his experiments at his institute. In addition, Needham's research reflected the interests of leading biochemists in hormone and cancer research, because it offered novel theoretical models and experimental methods for engaging with the function of the hormones and carcinogens they isolated. Needham and Waddington were deterred neither by the mounting challenges nor by the limited experimental infrastructure. Like their colleagues in hormone and cancer research, they anticipated difficulties in attempting to establish causal links between complex biological phenomena and simple chemical triggering.

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Authors & Contributors
Yin, Xiaodong
Wilkins, Adam S.
Weizmann, Fredric
Santer, Melvin
Peterson, Erik L.
Morris, Norma
Concepts
Biology
Embryology
Genetics
Experimental organisms
Developmental biology
Academic disciplines
Time Periods
20th century, early
20th century, late
20th century
19th century
21st century
Places
Great Britain
United States
Bristol (England)
South Africa
Germany
China
Institutions
Cambridge. University. Laboratory of Molecular Biology
Rockefeller Foundation
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