James G. Wilson (1915–1987) was an
embryologist and
anatomist
Anatomy () is the branch of biology concerned with the study of the structure of organisms and their parts. Anatomy is a branch of natural science that deals with the structural organization of living things. It is an old science, having it ...
, known for his ''Six Principles of Teratology''. In 1960 he co-founded ''The Teratology Society'', and was since then one of its most active members.
The ''James G. Wilson Publication Award'' is annually presented in recognition of the best paper accepted or published in the journal ''Birth Defects Research (formerly known as Teratology).''
Wilson's 6 principles
Along with this new awareness of the in utero vulnerability of the developing mammalian embryo came the development and refinement of The Six Principles of Teratology which are still applied today. These principles of teratology were put forth by Jim Wilson in 1959 and in his monograph Environment and Birth Defects.
These principles guide the study and understanding of teratogenic agents and their effects on developing organisms:
Susceptibility to teratogenesis depends on the genotype of the conceptus and the manner in which this interacts with adverse environmental factors.
Susceptibility to teratogenesis varies with the developmental stage at the time of exposure to an adverse influence. There are critical periods of susceptibility to agents and organ systems affected by these agents.
Teratogenic agents act in specific ways on developing cells and tissues to initiate sequences of abnormal developmental events.
The access of adverse influences to developing tissues depends on the nature of the influence. Several factors affect the ability of a teratogen to contact a developing conceptus, such as the nature of the agent itself, route and degree of maternal exposure, rate of placental transfer and systemic absorption, and composition of the maternal and embryonic/fetal genotypes.
There are four manifestations of deviant development (Death, Malformation, Growth Retardation and Functional Defect).
Manifestations of deviant development increase in frequency and degree as dosage increases from the No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) to a dose producing 100% Lethality (LD100).
See also
*
Teratology
Teratology is the study of abnormalities of physiological development in organisms during their life span. It is a sub-discipline in medical genetics which focuses on the classification of congenital abnormalities in dysmorphology. The relate ...
*
Developmental biology
References
*Brent, R.L. 1989. ''In memoriam: James G. Wilson (1915–1987)''. Teratology 39:317–319.
*Wilson, J.G., Warkany, J. 1985. ''The history of organized Teratology in North America''. Teratology 31:285–296.
*Warkany, J. ''Handbook of Teratology'', ed. J.G. Wilson and F.C. Fraser. Vol. 1. 1977, New York: Plenum Press.
External links
The Teratology SocietyHistory of the Teratology Society by: Shepard T.H., et al., Teratology 62: 301-316, 2000.
Developmental biologists
Teratologists
1915 births
1987 deaths
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